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PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  CONVENTION  ^.%^^r 


OF  THE 


REPUBLICAN  PARTY 


OF  LOUISIANA, 


HELD  AT  ECONOMY  HALL,  NEW  ORLEANS,  SEPTEMBER  86,  1865, 


AND   OF   THB 


CENTRAL  EXECUTIYE  COMMITTEE 


of  the 


FRIENDS  OF  UNIVERSAL  SUFFRAGE 

OF   LOTJISI-AETA* 

NOW, 

14  The  Central  Executive  Committee  of  the  Bepublksajst 
Party  of  Louisiana.*7  . 


*■» 


NEW  ORLEANS, 

PRINTED  AT  THE  NEW  ORLEANS  TRIBUNE  OFFICE,  NO.  21    GO&M  SSREET. 

1863. 


e£ **{?&*<*<***  'bdrfef  ,      /*  ^#"«s/*****g)  •    C&»  i/**??*  >4   t    /2& 


PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE  CONVENTION 


OF   THE 


REPUBLICAN  PARTY 


OF  LOUISIANA, 

HELD  AT  ECONOMY  HALL,  NEW  ORLEANS,  SEPTEMBER  16,  1865, 

AND    OF   THB 

CENTRAL  EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE 


OF   THB 


FRIENDS  OF  UNIVERSAL  SUFFRAGE 

OF    LOUISIA-N^ 

NOW, 

The  Central  Executive  Committee  of  the  Republican 
Party  of  Louisiana." 


NEW  ORLEANS, 

PRINTED  AT  THE  NEW  ORLEANS  TRIBUNE  OFPIGB,   NO.  31    OONTI  STREET. 


*m4 


TO  THE   CENTRAL    EXECUTIVE    COMMITTEE    OP    THE    FRIENDS  OP 
UNIVERSAL    SUFFRAGE: 

Gentlemen  : 

Your  Committee  on  Printing,,  to  whom  was  assigned  the  duty  of  publishing 
in  pamphlet  form  the  proceedings  of  the  "  Convention  of  the  Republican  Party 
of  Louisiana,"  and  of  the  "Central  Executive  Committee  of  the  Republican 
Party,"  respectfully  report; 

That  they  have  performed  the  duty  assigned  them,  and  submit  the  same  for 
your  consideration. 

They  believe  that  this  pamphlet  will  be  a  useful  manual  in  the  hands  of  the 
unenfranchised,  and  will  exhibit  to  the  people  and  their  representatives  that  four 
and  a  half  million  of  true  and  law-abiding  citizens  will  not  remain  deprived  of 
their  rights  and  privileges  of  citizenship. 

ANSEL  EDWARDS,  Chairman. 
THOMAS  LYNNE, 
ARNAUD  COMMAGERE. 
New  Orleans,  October  20th,  1865. 


INTRODUCTION. 


This  pamphlet  has  been  compiled  in  pursuance  of  a  resolution  of  the  Conven- 
tion of  the  "  Republican  Party  of  Louisiana,"  and  of  the  "  Central  Executive  Commit- 
tee of  the  Friends  of  Universal  Suffrage  of  Louisiana,"  now  the  "  Central  Executive 
Committee  of  the  Republican  Party." 

It  comprises  the  most  important  of  the  proceedings  of  the  "  Committee' ' 
and  Convention,  and  it  is  believed  will  be  found  to  contain  much  that  is  not  only 
highly  interesting,  but  useful  and  important  information  to  all  who  have  the  true 
interests  of  the  rights  and  privileges  of  citizens  at  heart. 

Within  the  boundaries  of  Louisiana  are  three  hundred  thousand  citizens,  who, 
until  made  Freemen  by  the  "  Emancipation  Proclamation'^  of  Prezident  Lincoln,  were  held 
in  the  bonds  of  slavery.  Their  owners  were  declared  to  be  in  a  slate  of  insurrec- 
tion, disloyal  to  the  Government,  committing  *the  greatest  of  all  crimes,  that  of 
treason  to  the  mildest  and  most  beneficent  government  that  has  ever  existed . 

These  late  owners  of  nearly  one-half  of  the  population  still  claim  the  author- 
ity to  govern  the  whole,  excluding  the  three  hundred  thousand  emancipated  and 
loyal  citizens  from  taking  any  part  in  the  government ;  thus  subverting  the  first 
principles  of  a  republican  form  of  government — the  right  of  representation. 

A  few  loyal  citizens,  inspired  by  the  same  spirit  of  liberty  and  the  rights  of 
man  that  actuated  our  forefathers,  the  first  patriots  of  our  country,  to  organize 
the  government  under  which  the  people  have  enjoyed  more  prosperity  and  happi- 
ness than  the  people  of  any  other  nation,  either  ancient  or  modern,  have  organized 
the  party  whose  proceedings  are  detailed  in  these  pages. 

They  now  call  upon  all  citizens  and  friends  of  liberty  to  aid  them  in  the  im- 
portant work  of  obtaining  for  all,  of  whatever  race  or  color,  equal  rights  and  pri- 
vileges—that all  may  be  represented  in  the  halls  of  legislation  in  the  State,  and  in 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States— that  all  may  be  equally  entitled  to  represent . 
and  to  be  represented,  to  become  electors,  to  vote  and  to  be  voted  for;  in  a  word, 
to  be  entitled  to  all  the  rights  and  privileges  of  citizenship,  including  the  right 
of  suffrage. 

The  battle  of  bullets  has  been  fought  and  the  Union  has  gained  the  victory. 
The  battle  of  ballots  has  commenced  and  will  surely  gain  the  victory,  but  may 


IV 

take  a  little  more  time.  It  will  as  surely  win,  because  the  cause  is  just,  and  be- 
cause the  strong 'arm  of  the  Almighty  Ruth  c^  nations  will  aid  the  arms  of  the  just 
in  obtaining  the  victory. 

The  emancipated  and  unenfranchised  citizens  will  find  in  these  pages  much 
that  is  designed  to  aid  them  in  obtaining  their  political  rights.  They  should  read 
it  whenever  and  wherever  it  may  fall  into  their  hands.  Those  who  can  read, 
should  read  and  explain  the  object  of  it  to  their  emancipated  brethren  who 
cannot. 

The  "  Republican  Party  of  Louisiana"  is  the  first  and  only  organized  party  that 
has  earnestly  adopted  the  cause  of  the  unenfranchised,  and  will  not  lay  down  its 
arms  until  the  object  is  attained. 

These  citizens,  in  every  parish  and  on  every  plantation,  should  organize  asso- 
ciations and  clubs,  in  accordance  with  the  "  Republican  Party  Of  Louisiana, "  and 
immediately  open  correspondence,  addressing  their  communications  to  the  Cor- 
responding Secretary,  at  49  Union  street,  New  Orleans.  They  are  advised  to  sub- 
scribe to  the  New  Orleans  Tribune,  in  the  columns  of  which  paper  they  will  find 
the  important  proceedings  of  the  party,  as  well  as  much  other  matter  that  will 
interest  them  ;  and  also  all  the  important  news  of  the  times. 

Emancipated  and  unenfranchised  citizens,  you  are  three  hundred  thousand, 
and  the  enfranchised  are  three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand.  You  have,  therefore , 
but  to  claim  and  obtain  your  rights  of  citizenship,  and  to  make  friends  of  twenty - 
six  thousand  of  the  enfranchised,  when  you  will  not  only  enjoy  the  blessings  of 
Freedom,  but  will  also  have  a  majority,  participating  in  the  richest  and  best  of  all 
political  blessings,  that  of  choosing  who  you  will  have  to  make  the  laws  under 
which  you  will  live,  and  love  to  obey.  You  will  then,  and  not  until  then,  become 
truly  republican  citizens,  invested  with  all  their  rights  and  privileges,  the  greatest 
and  best  and  most  exalted  of  all  the  nations  that  exist. 


CENTRAL    EXECUTIVE    COMMITTEE 

OF  THE  FRIENDS  OF  UNIVERSAL  SUFFRAGE, 
OF  LOUISIANA, 

New  Orleans,  June,  1865. 


The  following  advertisement  appeared  in  the  New  Orleans  Tribune,  in  French 
and  English. 

NOTICE. 
TO  THE  FRIENDS  OF  UNIVERSAL  SUFFRAGE. 
The  Friends  of  Universal  Suffrage,  and  of  the  New  Orleans  Tribune,  are  in- 
vited to  meet  at  No.  49  Union  street,  between  Carondelet  and  Baronne,  on  Saturday 
the  10th  inst,  (June  I860,)  at  7£  o'clock,  in  the  evening. 

Matters  of  the  highest  importance  will  be  brought  before  the  Meeting . 
Come  one  !  Come  all  !! 

T.  J.   DURANT, 
C.  W.  HORNOR 
W.  R.  CRANE, 
A.  FERNANDEZ. 

In  pursuance  of  the  above  call,  a  meeting  of  citizens  was  held  at  49  Union  street. 
The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  W.  R.  Crane,  who  moved  that  T.  J.  Durant  be 
invited  to  take  the  chair,  which  was  unanimously  adopted. 

On  motion  of  W.  R.  Crane,  Alfred  Jervis  was  appointed  Secretary. 

On  motion  of  W.  R.  Crane,  it  was  resolved  that  a  Committee  be  appointed  by 
the  chair,  of  seven  persons,  who  shall  report  at  an  adjourned  meeting,  the  names 
of  six  persons  from  each  of  the'  four  municipal  districts  of  the  city  of  New  Orleans, 
clothed  and  charged  with  all  the  executive  duties  of  a  Central  Committee  of  the 
Friends  of  Universal  Suffrage,  in  Louisiana,  for  the  period  of  one  year,  from  the 
first  day  of  June  1865,  with  power  to  fill  all  vacancies  that  may  happen,  during 
the  period  for  which  the  same  are  chosen,  and  to  order  the  time,  place  and 
manner  of  electing  another  Committee  for  the  succeeding  year. 

The  chair  then  appointed  the  following  Committee  of  Seven  : 

W.  R.   CRANE,  OSCAR  J.  DUNN,  ALFRED  JERVIS, 

LOUIS  BANKS,  HENRY  TRAIN,  CLEMENT  CAMP, 

ANSEL  EDWARDS. 

Adjourned  to  Friday  evening,  June  16th,  at  7J  o'clock. 

In  pursuance  of  adjournment,  the  Friends  of  Universal  Suffrage  met  at  49  Union 
street.  The  President  called  the  meeting  to  order,  when  W.  R.  Crane,  Chairman 
of  the  Committee  of  seven,  appointed  at  the  last  meeting,  submitted  the  following 
names  to  constitute  the  Central  Executive  Committee  of  the  Friends  of  Universal 
Suffrage  in  Louisiana. 


For  First  District.  For  Second  District. 

THOMAS  J.  DURANT,  B.  F.  FLANDERS, 

W.  R.  CRANE,  HENRY  TRAIN. 

ANSEL  EDWARDS,  ANTHONY  FERNANDEZ, 

CHARLES  OGILVIE,,  SEBASTIAN  SEILER, 

ALFRED  JERVIS,  ARNAUD  COMMAGERE. 

JOS.  L.  MONTIEU,  OSCAR  J.  DUNN. 

For  Third  District.  For  Fourth  District. 

JOHN  McWHIRTER,  RUFUS  WAPLES, 

II.  STILES,  A.  H.  WHITNEY, 

J.  L.  IMLAY,  R.  W.  STANLEY, 

ROCH.  ABERTON,  S.  J.  BROWER, 

J.  B.  DUPLAINE,  D.  C .!  WOODRUFF, 

F.  CHRISTOPHE,  JOSEPH  P.  JOHNSON. 

The  Report  was  approved  and  adopted  unanimously. 

W.  R.  Crane  presented  a  resolution,  that  a  voluntary  registration  of  Citizens 
not  recognized  as  voters  be  made. 

On  motion  of  C.  W.  Hornor,  the  resolution  was  referred  to  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee.    Adjourned. 

CENTRAL  EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE, 

New  Orleans,  June  22c?,  1865. 

In  accordance  with  a  notice  published  by  the  Chairman,  the  Committee  met 
and  proceeded  to  organize  permanently  by  electing  T.  J.  Durant,  President,  An- 
thony Fernandez,  Vice-President  and  Alfred  Jervis,  Secretary . 

On  motion,  the  chair  appointed  a  Committee  of  three,  consisting  of  W.  R.  Crane, 
J.  L.  Montieu  and  S.  Seiler,  to  report  what  other  officers  the  Committee  requires, 
and  suitable  persons  to  fill  the  same. 

A  Committee,  on  motion  of  Mr.  O.  J.  Dunn,  was  appointed  to  prepare  and 
report  a  platform  of  principles  for  the  Central  Executive  Committee  of  the  Friends 
of  Universal  Suffrage. 

Mr.  Crane  moved  to  take  up  his  resolutions  relative  to  the  registration  of  the 
citizens  of  color.     This  being  agreed  to,  he  supported  them  in  a  very  able  speech  : 

This  registration  is  not  intended  for  Louisiana,  but  for  the  National  Congress. 
Agitation  is  growing  up  on  this  subject.  The  Executive  by  limitating  the  suffrage 
to  one  race  has  alarmed  the  friends  of  freedom.  We  propose  to  take  the  sense  of 
the  people,  and  to  hold  here  an  election,  among  the  citizens  of  color,  for  Gov- 
ernor and  for  Representatives.  I  hope  and  trust  the  President  may  have  been 
actuated  by  a  fair  sense  of  devotion  to  his  duty.  But  before  such  a  manifestation, 
he  will  change  his  policy,  and  set  aside  these  Copperhead  Governors  who  seek  the 
support  of  the  rebels. 

I  propose,  therefore,  that  a  candidate  be  chosen  by  the  loyal  party,  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  Copperheads,  in  order  to  show  that  the  entire  vote  of  the  colored 
population  will  be  cast  for  a  loyal  man.  And  when  the  Copperhead  elected  by  the 
white  voters  shall  present  himself  to  Congress,  this  will  be  an  energetic  protest. 
(Applause.) 

The  State  has  been  reorganized  by  executive  usurpation  ;  the  result  is  a  state  of 
anarchy.  Reconstruction,  so  far,  has  been  a  failure.  The  Representative  so  elected 


will'not  be  admitted  as  a  member  on  the  floor  of  Congress,  but  he  will  be  received 
as  a  delegate  of  a  territory,  and  will  be  heard  as  such  in  the  Hall  of  Representa- 
tives.    (Applause.) 

But  it  remains  to  regulate  the  details.  The  Committee  will  have  to  secure  a 
registration  of  the  whole  colored  citizens.  All  other  qualifications  should  be  ob- 
served, except  the  clause  "  white."  The  friends  of  this  movement,  in  the  State 
and  in  the  North,  will  gladly  furnish  the  means  for  the  execution  of  the  plan. 

Louisiana  was  intended  to-become  the  pillar  of  reconstruction.  The  prediction 
has  not  been  fulfilled.  But  if  we  act  as  proposed,  she  will  become  the  true 
pioneer,  by  having  the  first  delegate  upon  the  floor  of  Congress.  She  will  be  the 
pioneer  in  the  work  of  reconstruction  on  the  broad  principle  of  the  Declaration 
of  Independence.  If  refused,  it  would  -follow  that  a  whole  race  has  no  right  to 
life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness,  and  that  would  be  monstrous. 

After  alluding  to  the  opinion  of  Justice  Curtis,  in  the  Dred  Scott  case,  and  to 
the  refusal  of  the  National  Convention  to  insert  the  word  "  white ' '  into  the 
Federal  Constitution,  Mr.  Crane  concluded  by  an  earnest  appeal  to  combat  the 
aristocracy,  which  was  greeted  with  applause. 

The  future  consideration  of  the  subject  was  postponed  until  the  next  meeting. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Train,  a  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to  draft  an 
application  to  the  Governor,  asking  for  a  registration  of  the  colored  citizens.  The 
Chair  appointed  Messrs.  Train,  Imtay  and  Aberton. 

June  29tk,  1865. 

The  Committee  met  at  the  usual  hour. 

The  Committee  of  three,  to  whom  was  referred  the  matter  of  appropriate 
officers,  and  recommend  suitable  persons  to  fill  those  for  which  persons  have 
not  already  been  elected,  report  1st :  That  the  officers  of  the  Committee  shall 
consist  of  a  President,  Vice-President,  Recording  Secretary,  Assistant  Recording 
Secretary,  Corresponding  Secretary,  Assistant  Corresponding  Secretary,  and  a 
Treasurer ;  and  recommend  for  Treasurer,  W.  R.  Crane ;  for  Corresponding 
Secretary,  H.  C.  Warmoth  ;  for  Assistant,  Wm.  Mulford ;  for  Assistant  Recording 
Secretary,  J.  L.  Montieu,  who  were  all  unanimously  elected. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  R.  Waples,  "  The  New  Orleans  Tribune"  was  declared  the 
Official  Organ  of  this  Committee.  Mr.  Durant  presented  an  address  to  the 
Governor  on  Registration,  which  was  on  motion  adopted  and  signed  by  all  the 
officers  and  members  present ;  and  a  Committee  of  three  consisting  of  Messrs. 
Fernandez,  Ogilvie  and  Crane,  was  appointed,  to  which  was  added  the  President, 
to  present  the  address  to  the  Governor.  Hon.  John  Covode,  of  Pennsylvania, 
was  then  introduced  by  Mr.  Durant. 

Mr.  Covode  rose  up  amidst  the  general  attention  of  the  audience,  and  spoke 
substantially  as  follows  : 

SPEECH  OF   HONORABLE   JOHN    COVODE. 

Gentlemen,  you  will  not,  of  course,  expect  a  speech  from  me  ;  but  I  have  a  few 
words  to  say  to  encourage  you  in  your  efforts.  I  know  the  sentiment  of  Congress, 
and  I  feel  perfectly  sure  that  until  the  people  of  Louisiana  adopt  the  policy 
advocated  here  •  to-night,  no  representatives  of  your  State  will  ever  be  admitted 


4 

on  the  lioor  of  Congress.  [Loud  applaus#]  You  may  find  obstacles  in  your  way, 
you  may  be  betrayed ;  but  stand  firm,  gentlemen,  and  the  loyal  people  of  the 
nation  will  stand  with  you.     [Renewed  applause.] 

I  am  glad  I  have  come  here.  I  came  to  be  posted  through  personal  observation 
on  (he  state  of  affairs.  I  have  seen  the  freedmen  on  the  plantations.  I  am  going 
back  to  Washington,  well  aware  of  the  condition  of  things,  and  will  have  to 
report  my  views  on  the  best  policy  for  the  Government  to  follow.  My  view  is 
that  all  loyal  men  ought  to  vote.  [Applause.]  My  view  is  that  the  struggle  be 
not  for  nought.  The  disfranchized  colored  men  would  be  in  a  condition  worse 
than  before.  I  advise  you  to  continue  in  your  policy.  I  will  not  detain  you  any 
longer  ;  but  without  further  remark,  I  will  say  that  you  are  on  the  right  track. 
[Loud  applause,] 

After  Mr.  Covode  had  taken  his  seat,  the  meeting  adjourned. 

July  Qlk,  1865. 

The  report  of  Mr.  Dunn,  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Platform  was  read  by 
the  Secretary  and  adopted,  as  follows  : 

Gentlemen — Your  Committee,  honored  by  the  appointment^to  the  important 
duty  of  setting  forth  to  the  world  the  true  principles  of  this  Association,  beg  leave 
to  submit  the  following  report : 

On  entering  upon  the  duty  of  calling  together  the  various  elements  that  favor, 
in  this  community,  the  sacred  principles  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  the 
Central  Executive  Committee  of  the  Friends  of  Universal  Suffrage  beg  leave  to 
address  a  few  words  to  their  fellow-citizens. 

Our  forefathers  laid  the  base  of  practical  democracy  and  of  true  republicanism, 
irfhen  they  proclaimed  to  the  land,  in  the  most  solemn  hour  of  the  American 
History:  "We  hold  these  truths  to  be  self-evident — that  all  men  are  created 
equal ;  that  they  are  endowed  by  their  Creator  with  certain  inalienable  rights  ; 
that  among  these  are  life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness  ;  that  to  secure 
these  rights,  governments  are  instituted'  among  men,  deriving  their  just  powers 
from  the  consent  of  the  governed.'' 

Taking  this  broad  platform  as  the  true  expression  of  republican  principles,  we 
have  only  to  follow  the  consequences,  in  order  to  set  forth  before  the  people  of 
Louisiana  the  spirit  of  our  Association. 

All  men  are  created  equal.  It  is  the  boast  and  the  glory  of  the  American 
Republic  that  there  is  no  discrimination  among  men,  no  privileges  founded  upon 
birth-right.  There  are  no  hereditary  distinctions  ;  nobility  is'unknown  ;  not  a 
single  public  office  is  transmitted  from  father  to  son,  not  even  the  highest^office 
in  the  empire — this  country  being  a  republic  and  not  a  monarchy.  Every  career, 
every  pursuit  in  life  is  open  to  the  humblest  as  well  as^to  the  most  exalted  citizen. 
So  little  is  the  importance  of  birth  considered,  that  a  self-made  man  is  viewed 
with  more  esteem  and  respect  than  the  citizen  bornfand^raisedjin  affluence  and 
prosperity. 

Our  country  is,  therefore,  one  of  republican  ideas  and  republican  manners.  The 
chance  or  the  contingencies  of  birth  have  no  power  in  America.  A  man  is  not 
what  his  name  and  his  extraction  have  made  him;  he  is  what  he  makes  himself. 
Nobody  would  consent  to  have  any  career  open  only  to  the  descendants  of  certain 
families  and  shut  up  to  the  balance  of  the  citizens. 

All  discrimination  on  account  of  birth  or  origin  is,  therefore,  repugnant  to  the 
principles  of  our  Government,  and  to  American  manners  and  customs  themselves. 
It  is  true  that  one,  only  one  discrimination  of  that  kind  remains — that  having 
the  effect  of  prescribing  the  African  race.  But  as  long  as  slavery  existed  in  the 
land,  color  was  taken  for  a  characteristic  of  servitude,  and  thereby  the  African 
race  was  enveloped  in  a  law  of  proscription.  Now,  slavery  is  no  more.  On  the 
proud  land  of  the  United  States,  we  no  longer  know  anything  but  freemen.  And 
the  principle  of  equality  of  men  has  to  bring  forth  its  full  consequence,  unless 


that  principle  itself  be  jeopardized.  The  American  State  Constitutions  have  to  be 
consistent  with  the  republican  manners  of  the  people,  unless  they  open  the  door 
for  the  institution  of  aristocracy,  nobility,  and  even  monarchy. 

We,  therefore,  deprecate  any  discrimination  founded  upon  origin  or  birth.  We 
deprecate  any  inquiry  into  the  extraction  of  citizens.  Wo  want  that  all  be  given 
a  fair  chance  in  the  world,  with  the  same  rights  before  the  law;  that  each  one  be 
free  and  unobstructed  to  find  his  own  level,  according  to  his  education  and 
means. 

Moreover,  it  will  be  to  the  honor  of  the  great  republic  that  the  inalienable 
rights,  conferred  by  the  Creator  upon  all  members  of  the  human  family,  be  ac- 
tually respected  in  all  citizens.  If  life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness  are 
rights  which  belong  to  all  men,  let  all  men  enjoy  them.  After  having  blotted  out 
from  the  starry  banner  of  the  Union  the  dark  spot  of  slavery,  with  the  stocks,  the 
manacles,  the  whip,  and  torture,  shall  we  say  that  four  or  five  millions  of  our 
countrymen,  four  or  five  millions  of  freemen  have  no  right  to  life,  liberty  and 
the  pursuit  of  happiness?  For  none  of  these  can  be  secured  without  enjoy- 
ing political  rights.  Life  is  insecure  when  the  proscribed  race  has  no  voice 
in  the  legislative  hall,  and  no  friend  in  the  jury-box.  Liberty  is  but  a  word 
as  long  as  taxation,  elections,  and  the  whole  political  machinery  are  confined 
in  the  hands  of  an  inimical  race.  Happiness  itself,  which,  according  to  a  great 
philosopher,  is  the  aim  of  all  living  creatures,  cannot  be  attained  without 
adequate  protection  and  justice  to  the  individual. 

Therefore,  let  our  republican  government  be  upheld  by  all  citizens  and  derive 
its  just  power  from  the  expressed  consent  of  all  governed.  Being  just  it  will 
feel  stronger  ;  resting  on  the  base  of  Universal  Suffrage,  it  will  be  an  example  sot 
to  the  world. 

The  political  campaign  we  are  entering  upon  will  have  no  ordinary  importance . 
We  have  set  forth  our  views.  We  make  an  earnest  appeal  to  our  fellow-citizens 
to  join  us  fighting  this  last  battle,  that  will  settle  the  vexed  question  forever. 

Being  consistent,  by  being  just,  by  being  great,  the  people  of  the  United  States 
will  insure  their  future  happiness  for  long  years  to  come,  and  gain  the  admira- 
tion of  all  civilized  nations. 

OSCAR  J.  DUNN, 

Chairman  of  the  Committee. 

New  Orleans,  June  29,  1865. 

Mr.  Durant,  in  behalf  of  the  committee  appointed  to  wait  upon  Governor 
Wells,  stated  that  the  Governor  did  not  think  fit  to  reply  in  the  same  manner  that 
he  had  been  addressed,  that  is  to  say  in  writting.  His  reply  appeared  in  the 
evening  papers,  two  days  ago.  Under  this  circumstance,  Mr.  Durant  thought  fit 
to  submit  the  following  as  the  report  of  the  Committee  : 

' '  Gentlemen  :  — To  our  memorial  asking  a  general  registration  of  loyal  citizens 
Governor  Wells  has  deemed  best  to  reply  only  by  a  publication  in  the  journals. 

'^Without  adverting  to  some  errors  of  fact  into  which  the  Governor  has  fallen 
on  irrelevent  questions  in  regard  to  former  expressions  of  one  of  the  members  of 
this  Committee,  it  may  be  said  of  the  Governor's  reply  that  he  admits  all  that  we 
have  based  our  application  upon,  i.  e.  his  right  to  set  aside  the  provisions  of  the 
Constitution  of  1864,  when  necessity  required  it,  which  leaves  the  whole  question 
of  government  to  his  own  will.  He  does  not,  however,  consider  the  extention  of 
the  suffrage  a  case  of  necessity,  requiring  his  interference,  and  therefore  refuses 
the  prayer  of  our  memorial.'' 

After  reading  the  above,  Mr.  Durant  said  that  the  respectful  request  of  the 

Central   Committee  having  been  refused,  it  will  be  well  to  put  the  whole  matter 

before  the  President  of  the  United  States.    He  then  read  a  memorial  as  follows  : 


New  Orleans,  July  13th,  1865. 
To  his  Excellency,  ANDKEW  JOHNSON, 

President  of  the  United  States, 

Washington  City,  D.  C. 
Respected  Sir  : 

The  apparent  state  government  in  Louisiaua,  exists  solely,  by  the  sufferance  of 
the  military  authority  of  the  United  States. 

Its  senators  and  representatives  obtained  no  admission  to  the  Hall  of  Congress. 

Its  Governor  appeals  to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  as  the  fountain  of 
his  power. 

Shortly  after  the  return  of  his  Excellency  Governor  Wells,  from  his  recent  visit 
to  Washington,  the  Picayune,  newspaper  of  this  city,  esteemed  his  official  organ, 
in  an  article  of  the  14th  of  June,  said  ''Doubts  have  been  expressed  in  high 
quarters,  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  and  elsewhere,  as  to  the  constitu- 
tionality and  regularity  of  the  existing  State  Government.  The  President  has 
guarded  against  all  such  doubts  by  reorganizing  and  designating  Governor  Wells  as 
Military  Governor." 

The  power  of  Governor  Wells,  no  longer  rest  upon  his  election,  by  the  small 
number  of  legal  votes  cast  for  the  government  which  senators  Sumner  and  Wade 
declared  in  Congress  to  be  a  bogus  concern  but  upon  the  appointment  of  the  Pre- 
sident. 

His  authority  is  as  lawful,  valid  and  unquestionable  as  that  of  General  Banks 
and  General  Shepley,  or  as  that  of  Gorvernor  Holden  of  North  Carolina. 

The  truth  of  these  emphatic  declaratious  have  never  been  denied  in  any  quarters. 
They  are  conclusive  as  to  the  power  of  Gov.  Wells — to  comply  with  the  prayer  of 
the  memorial  lately  presented  to  him,  by  ^hose  who  now  have  the  honor  to  address 
you. 

We  ask,  in  the  most  respectful  manner  your  attention  to  the  memorial  of  this 
Committee  to  Gov.  Wells,  and  his  reply,  copies  of  which  are  herewith  inclosed,  and 
which  were  published  by  the  Governor,  without  the  formality  of  conveying  to  us 
a  written  reply. 

We  now  appeal,  from  the  President's  Officer,  to  the  President  himself,  and 
respectfully  pray,  that  if  you  should  determine  to  exert  any  interference  in  Louis- 
iana affairs  in  advance  of  the  action  of  Congress,  that  you  will  make  it  in  the 
path  indicated  in  this  memorial. 

We  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  great  respect, 

Your  obedient  Servants. 
Signed  by  the  President,  T.   J.  DURANT, 

And  all  the  members  present. 

On  motion,  the  report  was  received  and  accepted ;  and  the  Corresponding 
Secretary  was  instructed  to  forward  the  documents  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States. 

The  Recording  Secretary  read  the  following  Ordinance  of  the  Opelousas  Police 

Board,  conceived  in  the  most  reactionary  spirit : 

ordinance 

Relative  to  the  Police  of  recently  Emancipated  Negroes  or  Freedmem,  within  the  corporate 

limits  of  the  Town  of  Opelousas. 

Whereas  the  relations  formerly  subsisting  between  master  and  slave  have  be- 
come changed  by  the  action  of  the  controlling  authorities  ;  and  whereas  it  is 
necessary  to  provide  for  the  proper  police  and  government  of  the  recently  eman- 
cipated negroes  or  freedmen,  in  their  new  relations  to  the  municipal  authorities  ; 

Sect.  1.  Be  it  therefore  ordained  by  the  Board  of  Police  of  the  Town  of  Ope- 
lousas :  That  no  negro  or  freedman  shall  be  allowed  to  come  within  the  limits  of 
the  Town  of  Opelousas,  without  special  permission  from  his  employer,  specifying 


the  object  of  his  visit,  and  the  time  necessary  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  same. 
Whoever  shall  violate  this  provision,  shall  suffer  imprisonment  and  two  days  work 
on  the  public  streets,  or  shall  pay  a  fine  of  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents. 

Sect.  2.  Be  it  farther  ordained  that  every  negro  or  freedman  who  shall  be 
found  on  the  streets  of  Opelousas,  after  10  o'clock  at  night,  without  a  written  pass 
or  permit  from  his  employer,  shall  be  imprisoned  and  compelled  to  work  five  days 
on  the  public  streets,  or  pay  a  fine  of  five  dollars. 

Sect.  3.  No  negro  or  freedman  shall  be  permitted  to  rent  or  keep  a  house  within 
the  limits  of  the  town  under  any  circumstances,  and  any  one  thus  offending,  shall 
be  ejected  and  compelled  to  find  an  employer,  or  leave  the  town  within  twenty- 
four  hours.  The  lessor  or  furnisher  of  the  house  leased  or  kept  as  above,  shall 
pay  a  fine  of  ten  dollars  for  each  offense. 

Sect.  4.  No  negro  or  freedman  shall  reside  within  the  limits  of  the  Town  of 
Opelousas,  who  is  not  in  the  regular  service  of  some  white  person  or  former  owner, 
who  shall  be  held  responsible  for  the  conduct  of  said  freedman.  But  said  em- 
ployer or  former  owner  may  permit  said  freedman  to  hire  his  time,  by  special 
permission  in  writing,  which  permission  shall  not  extend  over  twenty-four  hours 
at  any  one  time.  Any  one  violating  the  provisions  of  this  section,  shall  be  im- 
prisoned and  forced  to  work  for  two  days  on  the  public  streets. 

Sect.  5.  No  public  meetings  or  congregations  of  negroes  or  freedmen,  shall  be 
allowed  within  the  limits  of  the  Town  of  Opelousas,  under  any  circumstances  or 
for  any  purpose,  without  the  permission  of  the  Mayor  or  President  of  the  Board. 
This  prohibition  is  not  intended,  however,  to  prevent  freedmen  from  attending 
the  usual  Church  services  conducted  by  established  ministers  of  religion.  Every 
freedman  violating  this  law  shall  be  imprisoned  and  made  to  work  five  days  on 
the  public  streets. 

Sect.  6.  No  negro  or  freedman  shall  be  permitted  to  preach,  exhort  or  other- 
wise declaim,  to  congregations  of  colored  people,  without  a  special  permission 
from  the  Mayor  or  President  of  the  Board  of  Police,  under  the  penalty  of  a  fine  of 
ten  dollars  or  twenty  days  work  on  the  public  streets. 

Sect.  7.  No  freedman,  who  is  not  in  the  military  service,  shall  be  allowed  to 
carry  fire-arms  or  any  kind  of  weapons,  within  the  limits  of  the  Town  of  Opelousas , 
without  the  special  permission  of  his  employer,  in  writing,  and  approved  by  the 
Mayor  or  President  of  the  Board  of  Police.  Any  one  thus  offending  shall  forfeit 
his  weapons  and  shall  be  imprisoned  and  made  to  work  five  days  on  the  public 
streets,  or  pay  a  fine  of  five  dollars  in  lieu  of  said  work. 

Sect.  8.  No  freedman  shall  sell,  barter  or  exchange  any  articles  of  merchandise 
of  traffic,  within  the  limits  of  Opelousas,  without  permission  in  writing  from  his 
employer  or  the  Mayor  or  President  of  the  Board,  under  the  penalty  of  the  for- 
feiture of  said  articles,  and  imprisonment  and  one  day's  labor,  or  a  fine  of  one 
dollar  in  lieu  of  said  work. 

Sect.  9.  Any  freedman  found  drunk  within  the  limits  of  the  town  shall  be  im» 
prisoned  and  made  to  labor  five  days  on  the  public  streets,  or  pay  five  dollars  in 
lieu  of  said  labor. 

Sect.  10.  Any  freedman  not  residing  in  Opelousas,  who  shall  be  found  within 
its  corporate  limits  after  the  hour  of  3  o'clock  p.  m.  on  Sunday,  without  a  special 
written  permission  from  his  employer  or  the  Mayor,  shall  be  arrested  and  impris- 
oned and  made  to  work  two  days  on  the  public  streets,  or  pay  two  dollars  in  lieu 
of  said  work. 

Seat-  11.  All  the  foregoing  provisions  apply  to  freed  men  and  freed  women,  or 
both  sexes. 

Sect.  12.  It  shall  be  the  special  duty  of  the  Mayor  or  President  of  the  Board, 
to  see  that  all  the  provisions  of  this  ordinance  are  faithfully  executed. 

Sect.  13.  Be  it  further  ordained,  That  this  ordinance  is  to  take  effect  from  and 
after  its  first  publication. 

Ordained  the  3d  day  of  July,  1865. 

E.  D.  ESTILLETTE, 

Jos.  D.  Richabd,  Clerk.  President  of  the  Board  of  Police. 


July  20,  1865. 

Mr.  Crane,  of  the  Committee  on  Elections  and  Vacancies,  nominated  Mr.  J.  L. 
Montieu  as  Recording  Secretary,  Capt.  Henry  Rey  as  Assistant  Recording  Secretary 
and  Mr.  Wm.  M^ulford  Assistant  Corresponding  Secretary,  who  were  unanimously 
elected. 

Mr.  Crane  read  a  partial  report  Irom  the  Committee  on  Registration.  The  plan 
submitted  is  substantially  this  : 

1.  The  Central  Executive  Committee  will  act  as  a  Central  Board  of  Registration 
and  Election. 

2.  Books  and  a  set  of  instructions  will  be  prepared  for  the  registration  of  voters 
in  the  twenty-three  precincts  of  this  city. 

3.  The  rules  followed  in  the  registration  will  be  the  existing  laws  and  ordinan- 
ces, except  the  qualification  of  "  white." 

4.  The  Central  Executive  Committee  will  designate  three  Commissioners  and 
two  Clerks  in  each  of  the  precincts,  to  act — after  being  duly  sworn — as  Registers 
and  Commissioners  of  Election. 

5.  All  returns  will  be  made  to  the  President  of  the  Central  Executive  Committee. 

6.  A  place  to  serve  as  headquarters  will  be  designated  in  each  of  the  eleven 
wards. 

7.  All  questions  arising  from  this  matter  will  be  decided  in  conformity  with  the 
instructions  of  the  Corresponding  Secretary. 

8.  The  Central  Executive  Committee  will  appoint  the  time  to  begin  operations. 

9.  This  time  will  be  us  soon  as  the  Precinct  Committee  will  be  organized. 

10.  Same  operations  will  be  conducted  in  the  parishes  by  friendly  persons,  and 
with  the  assistance  of  the  Board  of  Industry  and,  if  possible,  of  the  Bureau  of 
Freedmen. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Rufus  Waples,  the  report  was  referred  to  the  same  Committee,  to 
be  completed. 
Mr.  Crane  reported  a  set  of  regulations  for  voluntary  registration,  as  follows  : 

1.  Three  Commissioners  and  two  Clerks  will  have  charge  in  each  precinct  of  this 
city  for  the  voluntary  registration,  to  begin  on  the  second  Monday  of  August 
next. 

2.  A  similar  bureau  will  be  established  in  each  of  the  country  parishes,  and  the 
same  duty  entrusted  to  them. 

3.  The  registration  will  embrace  all  loyal  male  citizens,  native  born  or  natural- 
ized, above  twenty-  one  years  of  age, 

4.  The  books  will  contain  the  name  of  every  registered  person,  with  a  full  de- 
scription of  said  person. 

5.  Certificates  of  Registration  will  be  delivered,  with  a  copy  of  the  description. 
0.  After  the  registration  is  completed  the  books  will  be  sealed  up  and  addressed 

to  the  Secretary  of  the  Executive  Committee. 

A  resolution  was  offered  upon  a  suggestion  of  Judge  Warmoth  :  That  a  com- 
mittee of  three  be  appointed  to  recommend  suitable  persons  for  Commissioners  and 
Clerks. 

Messrs.  Dunn,  Crane  and  Lynne  were  appointed  committee. 

The  Recording  Secretary  was  instructed  to  have  the  books  and  blank  forms  pre- 
pared for  the  work  of  registration. 

August  3,  1865. 

Mr.  Crane  submitted— to  be  considered  at  the  next  meeting— several  preambles 


9 

and  resolutions,  wfaich  were  ordered  to  be  printed  in  the  Tribune. 

He  explained  the  main  object  of  these  resolutions.  They  state  in  substance 
that: 

1.  The  friends  of  Universal  Suffrage  in  the  several  parishes  of  the  State  will 
elect  delegates  to  a  State  Nominating  Convention,  to  assemble  in  New  Orleans  on 
the  25th  of  September,  with  the  object  of  nominating  candidates  for  State  officers 
and  consolidating  the  Universal  Suffrage  Party. 

2.  It  is  recommended  that  one-half  of  those  delegates  be  white,  and  one-half 
colored. 

3.  The  election  for  delegates  will  be  held  in  New  Orleans  on  the  16th  of  Septem- 
ber. The  Orleans  parish  will  send  six  delegates  for  each  representative  district, 
and  six  for  Algiers. 

4.  Each  country  parish  will  similarly  send  six  delegates. 

5.  The  votes  in  theconvention«will  be  counted  per  capita,  except  for  the  nomina- 
tions. 

Mr.  Crane  explained,  in  a  forcible  maimer,  the  importance  of  these  resolutions. 

The  Convention   will  be  remarkable  for   the  talented  and  good  men  of  whom    it 

will  be  composed.    There  will  be  men  fully  capable  of  writing  the  history  of  the 

maladministration  of  Gov.  Wells,  and  of  the  murders  and  assassinations  committed 

upon  loyalists.    Such  a  Convention  will  be  of  great  weight  before  Congress. 

August  10,  18G5. 
The  resolutions  of  Mr.  Crane  on  the  holding  of  a  Convention  were  taken  up.  Mr. 
Crane  proposed  various  amendments,  which  were  all  adopted.  The  election  for 
delegates  will  be  held  on  the  16th  of 'September  next  ;  the  poll  will  be  open,  in 
New  Orleans,  at  No.  49  Union  street,  from  9  o'clock  a.  m.  to  S\  r.  m.  ;  the  tellers 
will  be  appointed  in  the  city  by  the  Central  Committee;  in  the  parishes,  by  the 
people  themselves. 

August  31,  1865. 

Mr.  Durant  stated  that  he  wished  to  submit  to  the  Committee  a  short  circular, 
for  the  object  of  notifying  our  friends  in  the  State  and  at  the  North  of  the  exist- 
ence of  the  Central  Executive  Committee. 

The  circular  was  read  and  adopted  : 


1ITTEE,) 
, 1865.     ) 


ROOM  OF  THE  CENTRAL  EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE, 
Friends  of  Universal  Suffrage 
New  Orleans,  September 

To - 

Sir  : — By  the  terms  of  a  resolution  adopted  on  the  evening  of  the  31st  August, 
I  have  been  instructed  to  send  you  the  names  of  the  officers  and  members  of  our 
Committee,  for  the  purpose  of  making  known  to  you  the  existence  of  an  organiza- 
tion to  promote  the  extension  of  suffrage  to  all  loyal  citizens,  without  distinction 
of  race,  and  to  solicit  your  aid  and  assistance. 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

THOMAS  J.  DURANT, 
Wm.  Mijlford.  Assistant  Corresponding  Secretary.  President. 


'  10 

OFFICERS  OF  THE  CENTRAL  EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE  OF  THE  FRIENDS 
OF  UNIVERSAL  SUFFRAGE. 

President : THOMAS  J.  DURANT, 

Vice-President ANTHONY  FERNANDEZ, 

Recordinq  Secretary J.  L.  MONTIEU, 

Treasure* W.  R.  CRANE, 

Corresponding  Secretary H.  C.  WARMOTH, 

Ass't  Recording  Secretary H.  REY, 

Ass't  Corresponding  Secretary WM.  MULFORD. 

MEMBERS  OF  THE  COMMITTEE. 

1.  Ansel  Edwards,  8.    H.  Stiles,  15.    Alfred  Jervis* 

2.  Charles  Ogilvie,  9.    J.  L.  Imlay.  16.    Wm.  Mulford> 

3.  B.  F.  Flanders,  10.    R.  Aberton,       .  .  17.    E.  Warren, 

4.  Henry  Train,  11.    C.  F.  Christophe,  18.    Dr.  J.  White, 

5.  S.  Seiler,  12.  •  Rufus  Waples,  19.    T.W.Conway. 

6.  A.  Commagere,  13.    Thomas  Lynne, 

7.  O.  J.  Dunn,  14.    D.  C.  Woodruff, 

September  7, 1865. 
Mr.  Crafae  offered  a  set  of  resolutions,  in  substance  : 

1.  The  parishes  are  advised  to  proceed  to  a  registration  of  loyal  disfranchised  citi- 
zens who  have  lived  in  the  State  for  one  year,  and  in  the  parish  for  six  months. 

2.  In  case  that  no  registration  be  practicable,  clubs  will  be  formed  and  poll 
books  will  be  kept  at  the  voluntary  election. 

3.  Votes  will  be  cast  for  only  the  officers  designated  by  the  Convention. 

4  Registration  books  or  poll  books,  or  both,  as  required,  will  be  furnished  to 
the  parishes  by  the  Recording  Secretary. 

5.  Those  resolutions  will  be  printed  in  the  ^Tribune  and  sent  to  the  parishes  by 
the  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Mr.  Cran<j  showed  how  desirable  it  is  that  the  work  of  registration  be  extended 
to  the  parishes.  An  effort  should  be  made  to  give  as  much  weight  and  authenticity 
as  possible  to  our  voluntary  election.  In  the  city  of  New  Orleans  many  legal 
voters  will  take  part  in  our  election.  The  effect  upon  Congress  will  depend  upon 
the  mass  that  we  may  be  able  to  call  to  the  polls.  Registration  should  be  pro- 
ceeded with  everywhere.  But  if  the  time  is  too  short,  the  election  itself  will  con- 
stitute  a  kind  of  registration. 

September  14,  1865. 
The  St.  Lewis  de  Gonzagne  Society  addressed  a  contribution  of  $5.    This  act  is 
very  meritorious,  as  this  Society  is  composed  of  aged  women,  with  very  limited 


Mr.  Durant  presented  from  some  friends  of  the  cause,  who  do  not  wish  to  have 
their  names  made  public,  a  contribution  of  $642  60.    [Applause.] 

The  Secretary  read  a  communication  of  Mr.  Francois,  of  Baton  Rouge,  apprising 
the  Committee  that  six  delegates  to  the  Convention  were  elected  on  Saturday,  9th 
inst.,  for  the  parish  of  Baton  Rouge. 

The  special  committee  appointed  to  nominate  delegates  for  the  Parish  of  Orleans, 
reported  a  list  of  names,  which,  as  follows,  were  unanimously  adopted,  viz  : 


11 


DELEGATES  TO  THE  CONVENTION  OF  UNIVERSAL  SUFFRAGE. 


C.  Hughes, 
W.  H.  Hire, 
W.  H.  Pearne, 

Ansel  Edwards, 
Blanc  Joubert, 

A.  Jervis, 

T.  J.  Durant, 

T.  Lynne, 

H.  C.  Warmolh, 

S.Seiler, 
O.J.Dunn, 
R.  McCary, 

Aristlde  Marie, 
H.  Train, 
T.  Delassize, 

B.  F.  Flanders, 
Bernard  Soulie, 
A.  Fernandez, 

J.  L.  Imlay, 
R.  Aberton . 
E.  Rillieux, 

Auguste  Simon, 
Pierre  Cannel, 
Joseph  Curiel, 

E.  Warren, 
J.  C.  Thomas, 
A.  Shelly, 

J.  B.  Noble: 
Rufus  Waples, 

D.  C.  Woodruff, 

Seth  Lewis, 

E.  H.  Heath, 
E  Morpby, 


1st.  District. 


2nd  District. 


3rd  District. 


4th  District. 


5th  District. 


6th  District. 


7th  District. 


8th  District. 


1)th  District. 


10th  District. 


A.  W.  Lewis, 
"    F.  Miles, 

W.  R.  Crane. 

T.  W.  Conway, 
Dr.  R.  I.  Cromwell, 
Wm.  Mullord. 

P.Bonseigneur, 
R.  H.  Isabelle, 
J.  A.  Craig. 

B.  Saulay, 

C.  Dalloz, 
Chas.  Smith. 

P.  Guigonet. 
J.  B.Ternot, 
J.  R.  Clay. 

A.  Commagere, 
C.  Courcelles, 
Laurent  Auguste. 

Armand  Lanusse, 
Dr.  J.  White, 
Chas.  Martinez. 

Joseph  Soude, 
H.  Stiles, 
T.Duvcrt. 

F.  C.  Christophe, 
Eug.  Chesse, 
Ls.  Banks. 


11th 


W.  C.Johnson, 
Z.  Getchell, 
G.  Littlejoha. 
District,  (Algiers.) 

Wm.  Voss, 
L.  Boguille, 
Victor  Derinsbourg. 


September  18,  1865. 
The  following  is  the  official  report  of  the  Commissioners  of  Election  : 

*  We  certify  that  at  an  election  held  at  No.  49  Union  street,  on  the  16th  day  of 
September,  1865,  pursuant  to  the  order  of  the  Central  Executive  Commmittce,  for 
66  delegates,  to  represent  the  Parish  of  Orleans  in  the  Convention  of  the  Friends  of 
Universal  Suffrage,  to  assemble  in  New  Orleans  on  the  25th  inst..  the  regular  ticket, 
as  follows,  was  duly  elected  delegates  to  said  Convention  : 

1st  District- W.  R.  Crane,  W.  H.  Hire,  C.  Hughes,  A.  W.  Lewis,  F.  Miles,  W.  H. 
Pearne. 

2nd  District— T.  W.  Conway,  Dr.  R.  I.  Cromwell,  Ansel  Edwards,  Alfred  Jervis, 
Blanc  Joubert,  Wm.  Mulford*. 


12 

3/v/  District— P.  Bonseigncur,  J.  A.  Craig,  T.  J.  Durant,  R.  H.  Isabelle,  T.  Lynne, 
H.  C.  Warmotb. 

4th District— O.  J.  Dunn,  C.  Dalloz,  R.  McCary,  B.  Saulay,  S.  Seiler,  Chas.  Smith, 

5th  District— J.  R.  Clay .  T.  Dclassize.  P.  Gaigonet,  Aristide  Marie,  J.  B.  Teruot, 
H.  Train. 

6th  District — Laurent  Auguete,  A.  Commagere,  0.  Courcelles,  A.  Fernandez,  B. 
F.  Flanders,  Bernard  Soulie. 

7th  District — R.  Aberton,  J.  L.  Imlay,  Arniand  Lanussd,  Cbas.  Martinez,  E.  Ril- 
lieux.  Dr.  J.  White. 

8th  District— Pierre  Canuel,  Joseph  Curiel,  T.  Duvert,  Auguste  Simon,  Joseph 
Soude,  H.  Stiles. 

9th  District— L$.  Banks,  Eug.  Chesse,  F.  C.  Christophe,  A.  Shelly,  J.  C.  Thomas. 
E.  Warren. 

mh  District— Z.  Getchell,  W.  C.  Johnson,  G.  Litttjohu,  J.  B.  Noble,  Rufus 
Waples,  D.  C.  Woodruff. 

llth  District  (Algid  s)— L.  Boguille,  Victor  Deriusbourg,  E.  II.  Heath,  Seth  Lewis, 
E.  Morphy,  Wm.  Voss. 

"  We  further  certify  that  the  aggregate  vote  polled  amounts  to  2621 ;  and  all 
voters  have  agreed  that  a  majority  of  delegates  elected  shall  fill  all  vacancies  in 
the  delegation." 

W.  R.  CRANE,  President. 
J.  L.  Montieu,  Secretary. 

J.  L.  Imlay,  ) 

O.  J.  Dunn,  >-  Commissioners. 

R.  Aburton,  j 


Mr.  Dunn,  from  the  Committee  ou  Registration,  reported  progress,  and  proposed 
the  organization  of  a  Bureau  of  Registration  for  Algiers.  This  matter  was  referred 
to  the  special  committee  that  organized  the  registration  in  the  Parish  of  Jefferson. 

Mr.  A.  Jervis  submitted  important  resolutions,  in  substance  as  follows  : 

That  the  Central  Executive  Committee  suggest  a  Convention  of  the  Friends  of 
Universal  Suffrage  in  the  whole  United  States,  to  be  held  at  Philadelphia. 

September  28,  18G5. 
On  motion  of  Mr.  Dunn,  the  propriety  of  printing  a  condensed  record  of  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  Central  Executive  Committee,  as  an  introduction  to  the  proceedings 
of  the  late  Convention,  was  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Printing. 


ROCEEDINGS   OF  THE  CONVENTION. 


MORNING  SESSION. 

Monday,  September  27,  1865. 

The  delegates  met  at  twelve  o'clock  m.,  at  No.  49  Union  street.  Tbe  attendance 
was  very  full.  The  assembly  having  been  called  to  order  by  Mr.  Crane,  Mr.  A. 
Fernandez  was  chosen  President  pro  tern.,  and  Mr.  Montieu,  Secretary  pro  tern. 

A  Committee  on  Credentials  was  appointed.  Messrs.  Train,  Delassize  and  Ls. 
Thomas,  (of  Baton  Rouge,)  committee. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Train,  amended  by  Mr.  Soulie,  the  Convention  will  hold  its 
next  meeting  at  Economy  Hall,  at  6  o'clock  p.  m. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Dunn,  a  committee  of  five  was  appointed  to  report  on  a  perma- 
nent organization.  Messrs.  Dunn,  Bouguille,  Joubert,  Ls.  Thomas  and  Dr.  Hire, 
committee. 

The  Convention  then  adjourned.  • 

EVENING  SESSION. 


The  evening  session  was  called  to  order  by  Mr.  A.  Fernandez,  and  opened  by  an 
eloquent  prayer  by  Rev.  W.  R.  Pearne. 

Mr.  Train  then  reported  from  the  Committee  on  Credentials.  The  names,  [see 
proceedings  of  Exec.  Com.,  Sept.  18th]  already  known  to  our  readers,  were  reported 
for  the  Parish  of  Orleans. 

The  following  names  were  then  reported  : 

Ascension — Wm.  Beaufort,  Fred.  Fobb,  D.  Miller.  P.  F.  Valfroit. 

Assumption — Peter  Hills,  G.  Nicot,  Jas.  Johnson,  Isaac  Richardson,  Henry  Wood- 
ruff, Keynion,  Jos.  Dupaty,  Jean  Rotge',  Vincent  F.  Pintado,  Eudaldo  G.  Pintado. 

Baton  Eouge—hs.  Thomas,  Thomas  Murray,  Houston  Reedy,  N.  Whiting,  A.  G. 
Rogers,  Dr.  Roberts. 

East  Feliciana — Tony  Stheward,  A.  Marshal,  Martin  Schnurr. 

Iberville — George  Deslonde. 

Jefferson — Jas.  Mushaway,  Wm.  H.  Nelson,  John  Page,  Ursin  Lavigne,  J.  H.  A. 
Roberts,  Joseph  Boutte. 

Lafourche— Paul  Getridge,  Joseph  Laney,  Henry  A.  Gallup,  R.  K.  Diossy. 

St.  Charles— Peter  S.  Kramer,  Thomas  Jones,  George  Gane,  Isaac  Esaro,  John  B. 
Hasly,  Thomas  Caston. 

Terrebonne— -R.  W.  Bennio,  A.  Rougelot,  A.  Delage,  M.  Vance,  Grandison  Hunter, 
James  Dyer. 

All  of  whom  were  admitted. 

The  roll  being  called,  84  members,  of  a  total  of  111,  answered  to  their  names. 


14 

! 

Mr.Ru f us  Waples  called  for  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  the  Permanent  Organi- 
zation of  the  Convention. 

The  report  was  read.  It  proposed  the  name  of  the  Hon.  Thomas  J. 
Durant  for  President  of  the  Convention,  which  was  greeted  with  great  ap- 
plause ;  as  also  were  those  of  the  following  gentlemen  :— For  Vice-Presidents,  B- 
F.  Flanders,  A.  Fernandez,  B.  Soulie,  R.  I.  Cromwell  and  Peter  J.  Kramer  ;  for 
Treasurer,  W.  R.  Crane  ;  for  Recording  Secretary,  W.  Vigers  ;  Assistant  Recording 
Secretary,  J.  E.  Mathieu  ;  Sergeant-atArms,  R.  C.  Baylor  ;  Assistant,  Moses  Town- 
send.  All  of  whom  were  adopted  unanimously.  A  committee  of  the  members 
being  appointed  to  escort  Mr.  Durant  to  the  chair,  the  honorable  gentlemen  crossed 
the  hall  amidst  enthusiastic  cheering  applause. 

Mr.  Durant  thanked  the  Convention  for  the  unasked  honor  bestowed  upon  him . 
He  said  that  there  was  but  one  object  to  pursue  :  That  is  for  the  welfare  of  this 
country  and  the  happiness  of  humanity  at  large. 

It  is  obvious  to  all  reflecting  minds,  that  after  the  mighty  revolution  which 
plunged  this  country  into  war,  tbere  was  but  one  remedy  which  could  heal  the 
country's  wounds  :  It  was  universal  liberty,  and  universal  suffrage.     [Cheers.] 

If  liberty  is  not  a  mere  name,  the  enfranchised  citizen  becomes  entitled  to  all  the 
privileges  of  other  citizens.  It  is  true  that  much  latitude  must  be  given  to  the 
natural  difference  of  opinions  ;  but  in  the  end,  that  result  must  be  reached— uni- 
versal suffrage;  and  it  was  to  reach  that  noble  end  that  this  Convention  was 
called. 

The  first  steps  of  this  movement,  when  but  a  few  parishes  were  represented, 
were  modest  ones  ;  but  now  it  reaches  to  the  farthest  limits  of  the  State.  The 
honorable  gentleman  entered,  after  this,  into  a  long  explanation  of  the  reasons 
why  the  party  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  elections  ordered  by  the  Govarnor 
by  virtue  of  a  constitution  whose  authority  they  do  not  acknowledge,  for  it  was 
not  sanctioned  by  a  majority  of  the  citizens  of  this  State.  The  only  thing  left  for 
them  to  do,  is  to  appeal  to  the  decision  of  the  United  States  Congress.  If  they 
carry  their  project  through,  they  will  have  given  the  country  a  much  desired 
peace,  which  cannot  be  obtained  in  any  other  manner. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Dunn,  a  resolution  of  thanks  to  Messrs.  A.  Fernandez  and 
Montieu  for  their  services,  was  unanimously  adopted. 

Mr.  Crane  moved  to  appoint  a  committee  of  five  members,  to  which  will  be  re- 
ferred the  resolutions  to  be  proposed  to  the  Convention. 

The  motion  was  adopted,  and  the  following  named  gentlemen  were  appointed  : 
Messrs.  Crane,  Flanders,  Ls.  Thomas,  of  Baton  Rouge,  and  Benuie,  of  Terrebonne. 

Mr.  Flanders  moved  to  appoint  a  committee  of  five,  to  draft  an  address  to  the 


15 

people  of  Louisiana.  The  motion  being  adopted,  Messrs.  Flanders,  Soulie,  Dunn, 
Rougelot  and  Schnurr  were  appointed  on  that  committee.  On  motion  of  Mr.  De- 
lage,  the  name  of  the  President  was  unanimously  added. 

It  was  decided  that  this  committee  should  report  on  Tuesday  evening. 

Mr.  Soulie  proposed  the  following  resolution  : 

"  It  is  resolved,  that  in  order  to  identify  this  organization  with  the  great  Repub- 
lican party,  we  now  adopt  that  appellation,  and  that  all  acts  and  resolutions  of 
this  Convention  be  made  in  the  name  of  the  Republican  party  of  Louisiana." 

The  reading  of  the  resolution  opened  the  door  to  a  long  and  warm  discussion. 
Dr.  Cromwell  objected,  in  an  emphatic  manner,  to  its  adoption,  alleging  that  the 
Republican  party,  as  it  is  organized,  might  not  profess  exactly  the  same  principles 
as  those  of  the  political  party  which  it  is  now  proposed  to  organize  in  this  State. 

Mr.  Warmoth  replied  that  the  National  Republican  party  had  committed  them- 
selves in  favor  of  universal  suffrage  ;  and  in  proof  of  this,  he  alluded  to  several 
well  known  political  men  of  the  North  who  had  emphatically  declared  themselves 
in  favor  of  the  very  reform  the  Convention  wishes  now  to  carry. 

Mr.  A.  Jervis  said  that  no  name  could  better  express  the  aim  of  the  party  than 
the  appellation  of  the  "  Friends  of  Universal  Suffrage  ;"  but  the  word  republican 
might  leave  many  in  the  dark,  and  the  aim  of  the  great  party  which  goes  in  the 
North  by  that  name  is  not  so  well  understood  by  all. 

Mr.  Warren  spoke  at  some  length  in  favor  of  the  resolution,  saying  that  in  order 
to  give  a  necessary  strength  to  the  party,  it  would  be  good  policy  to  merge  this 
organization  into  the  great  National  Republican  Party,  which  was,  after  all,  as 
well  committed  in  favor  of  universal  suffrage  as  any  other  party. 

Mr.  Gallup,  of  Lafourche,  proposed  to  strike  out,  in  the  resolution,  all  that  pre- 
cedes the  words  "  that  all  acts." 

Mr.  Crane  moved  to  refer  the  resolution  with  the  amendment  to  the  Committee 
on  Resolutions.    Carried. 

On  Mr.  Train's  motion,  the  Convention  adjourned  till  6  o'clock  p.  m.,  to-morrow. 

Tuesday  Evening,  Sept.  26,  1865. 

The  Convention  met  at  6  o'clock,  pursuant  to  adjournment.  The  roll  having 
been  called,  62  members  answered  to  their  names. 

Mr.  Vigers,  Secretary,  read  the  minutes  of  the  previous  meeting,  which  were  ap- 
proved. 

Mr.  Crane,  of  the  Committee  on  Resolutions,  read  their  report  on  sundry  resolu- 
tions presented  the  night  before  to  the  Convention.    The  report  was  received. 

Mr.  Warmoth  asked  leave  to  present  a  resolution,  which  was  granted. 

The  resolutions  reported  by  Mr.  Crane  were  then  taken  up,   as  follows  : 


16 

1.  Resolved— That  this  body  shall  be  styled  the  Convention  of  the  Republican 
Party  in  Louisiana,  and  does  hereby  reaffirm  the  platform  of  principles  adopted  at 
Baltimore,  in  June,  1864,  by  the  Convention  which  nominated  Abraham  Lincoln 
and  Andrew  Johnson. 

2.  Resolved— That  the  Ordinance  of  Secession,  adopted  by  a  Convention  of  the 
people  of  Louisiana,  called  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  was  a  declaration  of  war 
against  the  United  States ;  it  disrupted  in  fact,  though  not  in  law,  the  relations  ex- 
isting between  the  General  Government  and  the  people  of  this  State,  and  rendered 
the  latter  incapable  of  exercising  the  privileges  of  citizens  of  the  United  States. 

3.  Resolved— In  addition,  that  the  acts  of  Congress  of  the  United  States,  declaring 
the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  to  be  in  a  state  of  insurrection,  constituted  them,  in 
law,  enemies  of  the  United  States,  and  unfitted  them  for  the  functions  of  a  State  in 
the  Union  until  restored  by  the  action  of  Congress. 

4.  Resolved—  That  loyal  State  Governments  are  essential  to  the  Government  of  tho 
United  States,  without  which  it  cannot  operate  ;  that  the  rebellion  was  carried  on 
by  insurgent  States,  and  the  object  of  the  war  was  to  subdue  these  and  erect  in  their 
places  loyal  States ;  therefore  it  is  the  duty  of  the  United  States,  at  the  earliest 
possible  moment  consistent  with  the  general  welfare,  to  establish,,  by  act  of  Con- 
gress, a  Republican  Government  in  Louisiana. 

5.  Resolved—  That  this  duty  is  imposed  by  the  Constitution  on  ."  the  United 
States,"  and  not  on  any  military  commander  or  Executive  officer  ;  but  must  be 
performed  by  the  United  States,  represented  by  the  President  and  both  houses  of 
Congress. 

6.  Resolved— That  the  system  of  slavery  heretofore  existing  in  Louisiana,  and  the 
laws  and  ordinances  passed  from  time  to  time  to  support  it,  have  ceased  to  exist ; 
and  we  protest  against  any  and  all  attempts  to  substitute  in  their  place  a  system 
of  serfdom,  or  forced  labor  in  any  shape. 

7.  Resolved— That  the  necessities  of  the  Nation  called  the  colored  men  into  the 
public  service,  in  the  most  honorable  of  all  duties — that  of  the  soldier  fighting  for 
the  integrity  of  his  country  and  the  security  of  the  Constitutional  Government ; 
this,  with  his  loyalty,  patience  and  prudence,  are  sufficient  to  assure  Congress  of 
the  justice  and  safety  of  giving  him  a  vote  to  protect  his  liberty. 

8.  Resolved— That  it  would  be  unwise  to  admit  the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  at 
once  into  the  Union  as  a  State.  A  preliminary  system  of  local  government  should 
be  established  by  Congress,  to  endure  so  long  as  may  be  necessary,  to  test  the  fidel- 
ity of  the  people  to  the  United  States,  and  to  accustom  the  inhabitants  to  exercise 
in  harmony  and  peace  the  rights  and  duties  of  self-government. 

9.  Resolved— That  this  Convention  reaffirms  the  principles  set  forth  in  the  Decla- 
ration of  American  Independence  in  177G  :—That  all  men  were  created  equal ;  and 
that  republican  and  just  governments  require  the  consent  of  the  governed;  and 
deem  this  a  fitting  occasion  to  repeat  and  reaffirm  our  convictions  in  these  great 
truths,  from  the  peculiar  circumstances  in  which  our  loyal  fellow-citizens  of  African 
descent  are  placed — though  equal  in  numbers  to  the  white  race  ;  denied  all  political 
rights,  and  governed  without  their  consent ;  subjected  to  taxation  without  repre- 
sentation, and  subjected  to  trials  by  courts  and  juries,  and  denied  all  participation 
in  their  organization  and  administration. 

10.  Resolved— That  this  Convention  adopts,  as  the  basis  of  its  political  organiza- 
tion, universal  suffrage,  liberty  and  the  equality  of  all  men  before  the  law. 

.11.  Resolved— That  under  existing  circumstances,  this  Convention  considers  it 
inexpedient  to  nominate  candidates  for  State  officers. 

12.  Resolved— That  this  Convention  respectfully  recommends  to  the  Republican 
party  of  the  United  States,  and  all  friends  of  equal  laws  and  equal  rights,  the  pro- 
priety of  holding,  at  an  early  day,  a  National  Convention,  organized  on  the  basis 
of  this  Convention,  one-half  white  and  the  other  half  colored,  to  adopt  a  national 
platform  on  the  basis  of  universal  suffrage,  and  to  consider  the  questions  suggested 
by  the  foregoing  resolutions. 

Mr.  Train  proposed,  as  an  amendment,  to  strike  out,  in  the  first  resolution,  the 

words  Republican  Party,  and  substitute  the  words   "  the  Loyal  Universal  Suffrage 


17 

Party."    He  objected  to  being  merged  into  the  Republican  party,  whose  policy  is 
not  settled  yet. 

Mr.  Conway  and  Dr.  Lewis  defended  the  Republican  party,  and  briefly  reviewed 
its  history. 

Mr.  Jervis  and  Capt.  Isabelle  showed  that  the  republican  party  has  not  been,  up 
to  this  time,  in  favor  of  universal  suffrage. 

Mr.  Charles  Smith  wanted  to  have  no  misunderstanding,  and  to  go  frankly  for 
universal  suffrage. 

Mr.  Gallup  made  a  lengthy  defense  of  the  Republican  party.    He  said  that  from 

^  its  first  days  that  party  was  opposed  to  slavery  in  the  territories  ;  and  as  the 

rebel  States  are  now  considered  in  the  light  of  territories,  that  plank  of  the  earliest 

Republican  platform  covers,  at  this  present  moment,  the  case  of  the  Southern  States 

as  well  as  it  did  in  1856  Kansas  and  the  Western  Territories. 

The  amendment  being  put  to  the  vote,  was  declared  lost ;  41  nays  against  34 
yeas. 

The  first  resolution  was  then  adopted  as  originally  proposed  by  the  committee. 
The  other  resolutions,  down  to  No.  9,  were  severally  read  and  adopted,  nem.  con. 

Mr.  Gallup  proposed,  as  an  amendment  to  the  9th  resolution,  to  strike  out  the 
words  "  our  loyal  fellow-citizens  of  African  descent,"  and  insert  the  words  "  oue- 
half  of  our  fellow-citizens."  The  amendment  was  laid  on  the  table,  and  the  resolu- 
tion, as  reported  by  the  committee,  was  adopted. 

The  10th  and  11th  resolutions  were  adopted  unanimously. 

Mr.  Gallup  moved  to  amend  the  12th  resolution  by  striking  out  the  words  ••  on 
the  basis  of  this  Convention,  one-half  white  and  one-half  colored,''  and  insert  the 
words  ;*  without  distinction  of  race  or  color.'1    Adopted. 

Resolutions  were  offered  by  Mr.  Warmoth,  and  adopted,  endorsing  the  measures 
of  the  General  Government  in  suppressing  the  rebellion. 

Adjourned,  to  7  o'clock  to-morrow  evening. 

Wednesday  jEvenina,  September  27, 1865. 

The  Convention  was  called  to  order  at  6  o'clock  p.  m.,  Hon.  T.  J.  Durant  in  the 
chair. 

The  roll  being  called,  54  members  answered  to  their  names. 

Mr.  Vigers,  Secretary,  read  the  minutes  of  the  previous  meeting,  which  were  ap  - 
proved. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Dunn,  Chaplain  Conway  opened  the  proceedings  with  a  soul- 
stirring  prayer. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  certain  members  who  presented  them- 
selves for  the  first  time  this  evening  . 


•         .  •  18 

These  delegates  are; 

Parish  of  St.  Mary— Messrs.  Arthur  Antoine,  C.  P.  Boute,  Pierre  Romain,  Louis 
Nicholas.  E.  Rassmiss  Hunt,  Hely  Barry. 

The  qrder  of  the  day  was  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  Address.  Mr.  Flanders, 
chairman  of  that  Committe,  read  the  address  prepared  by  them.  The  address  was 
received  aiid  adopted  unanimously,  as  follows  : 

ADDRESS  OP  THE  STATE  REPUBLICAN  CONVENTION  TO  THE  PEOPLE 

OF  LOUISIANA. 

The  Convention  of  the  Republican  party  deem  it  impolitic  to  niako  nominations 
for  Stafe  officers  at  the  present  time.  We  have  not  had  the  means  of  communica- 
tion through  the  State  necessary  to  such  a  complete  interchange  of  ideas  as  would 
be  required  for  this  result. 

The  entire  civil  and  political  constitution  of  Louisiana  has  been  changed  by  the 
rebellion.  The  insurgent  State  authorities  claimed  independence  and  the  perpetu- 
ation of  slavery.  They  have  been  expelled  from  the  State  ;  and  slavery,  with  all 
the  laws,  ordinances  and  regulations  to  which  it  gave  rise,  has  been  swept  away  by 
the  tempest  of  war. 

The  people  of  African  descent  are  now  free,  and  as  free  as  all  other  men.  This 
iruth  must  be  recognized  and  carried  out  in  all  its  legitimate  consequences.  The 
best  minds  in  the  South,  as  well  as  in  the  North,  do  not  hesitate  to  adopt  it. 

Hamiltou,  Provisional  Governor  of  Texas,  declared,  by  special  proclamation, 
that  colored  men  must  be.  placed,  in  Texas,  on  an  absolute  equality  with  white  men , 
in  all  trials  for  crimes  and  offences. 

Marvin,  Provisional  Governor  of  Florida,  says  to  the  people  there :  "  By  the 
operations  and  results  of  the  war.  slavery  has  ceased  to  exist  in  this  State.  It 
cannot  be  revived.  Every  voter  for  delegates  to  the  Convention,  in  taking  the 
amnesty  oath,  takes  a  solemn  oath  to  support  the  freedom  of  the  former  slave.  The 
freedom  intended  is  the  full,  ample  and  complete  freedom  of  a  citizen  of  the  United 
States.  This  does  not  necessarily  include  the  privilege  of  voting,  but  it  does  in- 
clude the  idea  of  full  constitutional  guarantees  of  future  possession  and  quiet  en- 
joyment. The  question  of  his  voting  is  an  open  question— -a  proper  subject  for  dis- 
cussion—and is  to  be  decided  as  a  question  of  sound  policy  by  the  convention  to 
by  called." 

Parsons,  Provisional  Governor  of  Alabama,  declares :  "  Now  that  slavery  is 
dead,  I  can  conceive  no  greater  social  evil  than  a  class  of  humanity  in  our  midst 
so  excluded  from  the  civil  pale  as  to  become  a  stagnant,  seething,  miasmatic,  moral 
cess-pool  in  the  community.    Human  nature  either  im,;proves  or  degenerates—it 


19 

cannot  stand  still  ;  bat  it  cannot  improve  without  the  moral  incentive  of  hope  and 
a  human  future.  Therefore  the  freedman  must,  for  our  own  security  as  well  an 
his,  be  brought  at  once  within  the  pale  of  civil  law.  His  citizenship  must  be  recog- 
nized. As  a  man,  without  any  reference  to  hie  discretion  or  social  position,  he  is 
entitled  to  life,  liberty  and  ihe  pursuit  of  happiness.  With  this  view  I  have  wel- 
comed the  chivalrous  proposition  of  Gen.  Swayne,  and  have  advised  my  appointees, 
in  good  faith,  to  admit  the  freedman  to  the  courts." 

Nor  can  these  truths  and  their  consequences  be  denied.  Every  free  man,  a  native 
of  the  United  States,  or  naturalized,  is  a  citizen  according  to  the  highest  legal 
authorities.  Every  emancipated  slave,  therefore,  has  obtained  with  his  freedom 
the  title  of  a  citizen  of  the*  United  States.  Such  is  the  inevitable  consequence  of 
freedom. 

In  the  election  which  has  been  ordered  by  Gov.  Wells,  every  voter  must  swear , 

in  the  presence  of  his  God,  that  he  will  support  the  abolition  of  slavery.     Here  is 

the  oath  which  he  must  take.    It  is  the  condition  of  amnesty  allowed'. him  •  by 

President  Johnson  : 

i(  I  do  solemnly  swear  or  affirm,  in  the  presence  of  Almighty  God,  thai  I  will 
henceforth  faithfully  defend  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  thenyiion  of 
States  thereunder,  and  that  I  will  in  like  manner  abide  by,  and  faithfully  support,  all 
laws  and  proclamations  which  have  been  made  during  the  existing  rebellion,  with  refe'renct  to 
the  emancipation  of  slaves." 

There  is  no  reservation.  Every  voter  is  bound  in  conscience  and  in  honor  to 
treat  every  man,  white  or  black,  as  free  ;.  and  to  treat  him  as  he  would  wish  him- 
self to  be  treated. 

But  can  we  •'  faithfully  support"  the  freedom  of  the  colored  man  if  we%ithhold 
from  him  the  means  of  supporting  it  himself? 

The  citizenship  of  the  entire  population  is  not  a  novel  idea  in  Louisiana.  The 
third  article  of  the  treaty  of  Paris,  by  which  Louisiana  was  ceded  to  the  United 
States  in  1803,  provided  :  "  That  the  inhabitants  of  the  ceded  territory  shall  be  in- 
corporated in  the  Union  of  the  United  States  and  admitted  as  soon  as  possible,  ac- 
cording to  the  principles  of  the  Federal  Constitution,  to  the  enioyment  of  all  the 
rights,  advantages  and  immunities  of  citizens  of  the  United  States." 

The  repressive  influence  of  slaves  prevented  the  full  application  of  this  article  ; 
but  slavery  Is  now  no  more.  That  treaty  is  the  supreme  law  of  the  land  ;  and  the 
rights  of  guarantees  are  imprescriptible. 

A  few  years  after  this  treaty  was  made,  one  who  never  spoke  anything  he  did  not 
mean,  expressly  called  the  free  colored  men  of  Louisiana  "  fellow-citizens,"  when 
he  invited  them  to  arm  to  repel  the  invasion  of  the  State. 

The  code  of  Louisiana  admitted,  even  under  the  system  of  slavery,  the  free  men 
of  color  to  testify  for  or  against  parties,   without  regard  to  origin,  in  all  cases, 


20 

civil  or  criminal,  in  our  courts  ;  and  almost  every  trade  and  pursuit  was  open  to 
him,  at  least  as  far  as  the  legal  theory  was  concerned,  however  limited  by  preju- 
dice. 

We  submit  to  the  understandings  of  our  fellow-citizens,  that  in  no  case  has  the 
State  suffered  by  this  concession  ;  and  that  whether  as  a  soldier  or  a  citizen,  the 
free  man  of  color  has  invariably  shown  himself,  in  all  the  enobling  qualities  of  man  > 
the  equal  of  his  more  favored  fellow-citizen,  nor  has  he  ever  ceased  to  be  a  useful 
member  of  the  State,  when  treated  with  justice  and  equity  ;  and  that  what  those 
formerly  free  have  been,  the  newly  emancipated  class  is  prepared  to  b^. 

The  people  of  African  descent  are  not  to  be  held  responsible  for  the  present  con- 
dition of  affairs.  They  deserve  no  man's  anger  for  the  situation.  They  did  not  or- 
ganize the  rebellion.  They  did  not  carry  on  the  war.  Both  the  belligerents  invoked 
their  assistance,  which  was  afforded  freely  to  those  who  assured  their  liberty. 

Do  not  continue  in  the  delusion  that  "  a  few  fanatics  in  the  North  and  South' ' 
produced  the  great  rebellion  and  its  grand  results.  Philosophy  turns  with  disdain 
from  the  reasoning  which  would  impute  such  immense  consequences  to  causes  of  so 
trifling  a  nature.  In  our  country  ideas  are  omnipotent.  The  idea  of  slavery  was 
incompatible  with  that  of  liberty.  They  could  not  continue  to  exist  together  ;  and 
slavery" was  too  arrogant  to  yield  peacefully  to  its  inevitable  fate.  The  idea  to 
which  it  gave  place,  and  before  which  it  fell,  should  be  fully  carried  out  in  the 
new  system  of  government  to  be  inaugurated. 

Louisiana  has  not  yet  been  recognized  as  a  State  readmitted  into  the  Union. 
Senators  and  representatives,  setting  up  claims  to  seats  in  Congress,  have  not 
gained  admittance. 

The  Constitution  of  1864  was  adopted  by  a  fragment  only  of  the  people  of  the 
State ;  and  the  registration  which  even  that  fragment  effected  in  the  city  of  New 
Orleans,  which  cast  by  far  the  larger  portion  of  the  vote,  has  been  repudiated  and 
annulled  by  the  Governor  himself. 

The  provisions  of  the  Constitution  of  1864  have  never  been  observed  by  the  Ex- 
ecutive, unless  where  they  were  conformable  to  his  own  will.  There  has  been  no 
State  Government  here,  save  that  which  the  Governor,  tempered  by  the  military 
authorities,  saw  fit  to  give  us.  This  fact,  coupled  with  the  grave  defects  which  ex- 
isted in  the  authority  which  called  the  Convention  that  framed  the  Constitution, 
and  in  the  election  and  conduct  of  that  body,  is  sufficient  to  set  aside  the  theory 
that  any  State  Government,  legally  speaking,  now  exists  in  Louisiana  ;  the  or- 
ganization partially  performing  the  functions  of  such,  being  merely  an  adjunct  of 
the  military  power  of  the  United  States. 

Under  {hese  circumstances  it  seems  proper  that  a  delegate  should  be  chosen  to 


21 

present  the  views  and  feelings  of  the  republicans  of  Louisiana  at  Washington, 

during  the  coming  session  of  Congress.    In  the  wisdom  and  patriotism  of  that 

body  we  place  our  reliance,  and  look  with  confidence  to  its  action,  to  solve  in  the 

spirit  of  justice  and  humanity  the  great  question  of  Reconstruction. 

Mr.  Warmoth  presented  the  following  resolution  : 

Resolved— That  this  Convention  do  now  proceed  to  the  formation  of  a  constitution, 
to  be  submitted  to  the  people  for  their  ratification  or  rejection,  at  the  next  election, 
preparatory  to  the  admission  of  Louisiana  into  the  Union  as  a  State. 

In  support  of  his  resolutions,  Mr.  Warmoth  remarked  that  if  it  was  pronounced 
exceptionable,  it  was  to  be  borne  in  mind  that  Louisiana  was  in  an  exceptionable 
condition ;  for  since  New  Orleans  was  taken  by  the  federal  forces,  it  may  be 
properly  said  that  Louisiana  was  no  State  ;  but  it  is  governed  by  military  rule,  the 
will  of  one  man.  The  Constitution  of  1852  has  lost  all  its  authority  ;  and  the 
other  one.  of  1864,  was  never  ratified  by  a  majority  of  the  people,  nor  was  it  sane. 
tioned  by  the  Federal  Government.  It  was  unnecessary  to  frame  a  new  constitution, 
it  would  be  but  necessary  to  strike  out  from  that  of  1864  a  few  words  by  which 
most  of  the  loyal  people  of  Louisiana  are  excluded  from  the  polls,  and  will  be  so 
forever,  if  no  remedy  be  resorted  to  immediately. 

During  the  latter  portion  of  his  eloquent  speech,  Mr.  Warmoth  was  interrupted 
every  now  and  then,  by  the  most  enthusiastic  applause  ;  and  when  he  sat  down,  it 
was  amidst  stamping  of  feet,  clapping  of  hands  and  lusty  cheers. 

Capt.  Isabelle  made  a  learned  defense  of  Mr.  Warmoth \s  resolution.  * 

Mr.  Conway  moved  to  make  that  resolution  the  order  of  the  day  for  to-morrow . 

Adopted.    The '  same  gentleman  then  read  the  following,  which  was  unanimously 

adopted : 

Resolved— -That  this  Convention  do  hereby  adopt  the  New  Orleans  Tribune  as  the 
official  organ  of  the  Republican  party  of  the  State  of  Louisiana,  and  that  all  friends 
of  Republican  Government  are  advised  and  encouraged  to  give  to  that  organ  their 
fullest  and  most  cordial  support  and  patronage. 

Mr.  Craig  offered  a  resolution  to  the  effect  that  this  Convention  nominate  a  dele- 
gate to  Congress,  to  represent  the  Territory  in  the  National  Councils,  preparatory 
to  its  reorganization  as  a  State  of  the  Union . 

The  consideration  of  the  resolution  was  postponed  to  the  next  meeting. 

The  Convention  adjourned  till  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

Thursday,  September  28,  1865  . 

The  Convention  assembled  at  10  o'clock,  pursuant  to  adjournment. 

The  Rev.  R.  McCary  opened  the  proceedings  with  an  eloquent  prayer.  The 
Secretary  then  read  the  minutes  of  the  previous  meeting,  which  were  adopted . 

The  order  of  the  day  was  Mr.  Warmoth's  resolution  proposing  to  the  Convention 
to  prepare  a  Constitution,  to  be  submitted  to  the  people  for  rejection  or  adoption, 


22 

Mr.  Rufus  Waples  opposed  the  resolution.  la  his  opinion  it  was  injudicious  at 
this  time,  and  inconsistent  with  the  resolutions  already  unanimously  adopted  as 
the  sense  of  this  Convention  on  the  subject.  We  have  not  been  sent  here  as  dele- 
gates to  form  a  constitution  ;  but  even  if  we  had  the  power,  it  would  be  highly 
impolitic  and  almost  suicidal  to  exercise  it.  What  are  we  to  understand  by  the 
term  State  ?  By  the  law  of  nations  France  is  a  State,  Russia  is  a  State  ;  England 
is  not,  but  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain,  Scotland  and  Ireland,  is  a  State. 
The  United  States  constitute  a  State.  In  this  sense,  Louisiana  is  not,  and  never 
was,  a  State.  The  Secessionists  erred  in  treating  Louisiana  as  a  State  under  the 
law    of  nations  ;  for,  under  that  law,  a  State  is  a  nation. 

In  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  the  term  "  State"  has  a  much  more 
limited  signification.  Massachusetts  is  a  State,  in  this  sense,  but  not  a  nation.  Three 
elements  are  necessary  to  constitute  a  State,  under  the  Federal  Constitution  : 

1st.    Citizens  owing  allegiance  to  the  United  States. 

2nd.  Land. 

3rd.  Constitutional  organization  not  repugnant  to  the  Federal  Constitution. 

The  destruction  of  any  of  these  three  elements  must  cause  the  existence  of  the 
State  to  cease.  No  State  can  secede  from  the  Union,  because  no  State  is  a  nation  ; 
because  no  State  can  divest  the  Federal  Government  of  its  jurisdiction,  (however 
unanimous  the  citizens  of  the  State  might  be  in  favor  of  seceeding  ;)  because  all 
the  citizens  composing  the  Republic  have  rights  in  each  State,  of  which  they  can- 
not be  divested  against  their  will.  But  if  any  one  of  the  essential  three  elements 
be  wanting,  the  State  ceases,  and  the  land  and  the  citizens  remain  under  the  Fed- 
eral government  only.  The  first  element,  land,  is  permanent.  It  is  possible  th  at 
the  second  element,  loyal  citizens,  may  fail ;  for  all  the  inhabitants  of  a  new 
State,  upon  the  Indian  frontier,  on  account  of  Indian  depredations  and  fears  for 
their  personal  safety,  might  possibly  seek  older  settlements  and  leave  the  land  of 
the  new  State  depopulated.  It  is  manifest  that  the  new  State  would  cease  to  be 
such,  for  want  of  citizens.  The  third  element,  a  constitutional  organization  not 
repugnant  to  the  Federal  Constitution,  may  easily  be  destroyed.  The  citizens  of 
Massachusetts  may  call  a  constitutional  convention,  repeal  their  constitution,  and 
then  adjourn  sinedie,  without  forming  another.  Being  then  without  any  constitu. 
tional  organization,  Massachusetts  would  cease  to  be  a  State  for  want  of  one  of 
the  essential  elements.  If,  without  abolishing  their  constitution  altogether,  the 
citizens  of  Massachusetts  should  make  it  repugnant  to  the  Federal  Constitution, 
the  third  element  would  still  be  wanting,  and  Massachusetts  would  cease  to  be  a 
State. 

Louisiana  ceased  to  be  a  State  from  the  moment  her  constitutional  organization 


23 

became  repugnant  to  the  Federal  Constitution  ;  that  is,  she  ceased  to  be  a  State  in 
the  constitutional  sense  of  that  term.  Although  the  Ordinance  of  Secession  was 
an  absolute  nullity,  yet  the  striking  out  of  the  words  "United  States"  from  the 
Constitution,  and  inserting  "  Confederate  States,"  and  the  requiring  of  officers  to 
swear  allegiance  to  the  latter  instead  of  the  former,  made  the  whole  instrument 
repugnant  to  the  Federal  Constitution.  From  that  moment  Louisiana  ceased  to 
have  such  a  constitution  as  the  Constitutionof  the  United  States  requires  each 
State  to  have  (admitting,  for  argument  sake,  that  she  had  such  a  constitution 
before.)  She  therefore  ceased  to  be  a  State.  The  land  remained  and  the  citizens 
remained— both  under  the  exclusive  control  of  the  Federal  Government. 

But  although  the  citizens  remained  on  the  land,  they  did  not  remain  loyal  citi- 
zens, maintaining  their  allegiance  to  the  United  States.  They  were  not  such 
citizens  as  the  Federal  Constitution  requires.  The  changing  of  their  constitution , 
making  it  repugnant  as  above  shown,  destroyed  two  essential  elements,  and 
nothing  was  left  but  the  land.  The  inhabitants  not  only  destroyed  their  status  as 
loyal  citizens  of  the  United  States,  but  they  became  insurrectionists  and  took  up 
arms  against  the  General  Government.  This  is  not  such  a  State-citizenship  as  the 
Federal  Constitution  requires.  Louisiana  ceased  to  be  in  harmony  with  the  Feder 
al  Government  and  became  antagonistic  to  it. 

Mr.  Waples  next  proceeded  to  show  that  the  legislative,  executive  and  judicial 

departments  of  the  Government  have  all  acted  in  consonance  with  this  theory.    In 

the  act  of  July  13th,  1861,  the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  and  the  other  rebel  States 

are  declared  to  be  in  a  state  of  insurrection.    By  the  act  of  May  20th,  1862,  they 

i 
ar«  designated  "  insurgents."    By  the  act  of  March  3d,  1863,  a  distinction  is  drawn 

between  loyal  States  and  disloyal  States.    By  an  act  of  August  5th,  1861,  they  are 

styled  States  in  actual  rebellion.    By  au  act  of  July  17th,  1862,  a  distinction  is 

recognized  between  "  loyal  States"  and   the  "  so-called  Confederate  States  of 

America."    An  act  of  July  2d,  1864,  is  entitled  "  an  act  in  addition  to  the  several 

acts  concerning  commercial  intercourse  between  loyal  and  insurrectionary  States,1' 

etc.    There  are  many  other  acts  of  like  import,  continuing  through  the  latest 

legislation  of  Congress.    The  President  approved  all  these  acts  ;  and  has  also,  in 

various  proclamations  and  messages,  used  the  same  terms,  and  has  treated  these 

insurrectionary  districts  as  parts  of  the  country  which  had  forfeited  their  State 

privileges.    He  says  that  loyal  State  governments  have  been  subverted  ;  he  speaks 

of  re-establishing  a  State  government  which  shall  be  Republican  ;  of  constructing 

a  loyal  State  government ;  of  setting  up  a  State  government ;  of  reinaugurating 

loyal  State  governments  ;  of  reviving  a  State  government,  &c,  &c. ;  expressions 

which  are  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  theory  that  Louisiana  and  the  other  insur- 


24 

rectionary  districts  have  been  destroyed  as  States,  and  in  perfect  discord  with  the 
opposite  theory. 

The  Supreme  Court  has  made  a  distinction  between  the  United  States  and  the 
so-called  Confederate  States  ;  they  say  "  the  present  civil  war  between  the  United 
States  and  the  so-called  Confederate  States  has  such  character  and  magnitude  as 
to  give  to  the  United  States  the  same  rights  and  powers  which  they  might  exercise 
in  case  of  a  national  and  foreign  war  j"  that  ''all  persons  residing  within  the 
hostile  territory,  whose  property  may  be  said  to  increase  the  resources  of  the  hostile 
power,  are,  in  this  contest,  liable  to  be  treated  as  enemies,"  &c. 

In  2d  Black,  p.  673,  the  Supreme  Court,  speaking  of  the  insurgents,  said  :  '••  In 
organizing  this  rebellion  they  have  acted  as  States  claiming  to  be  sovereign  over  all 
powers  and  property  within  their  respective  limits,  and  asserting  a  right  to  absolve 
their  citizens  from  their  allegiance  to  the  Federal  Government.  Several  of  these 
States  have  combined  to  form  a  new  confederacy,'claiming  to  be  acknowledged  by 
the  world  as  a  sovereign  State.  Their  right  to  do  so  is  now  being  decided  by 
wager  of  battle.  The  ports  and  territory  of  each  of  these  States  are  held  in  hos- 
tility to  the  General  Government.  It  is  no  loose,  unorganized  insurrection,  having 
no  defined  boundary  or  possession.  It  has  a  boundary  marked  by  lines  of  bayonets, 
and  which  can  be  crossed  only  by  force  ;— south  of  this  line  is  enemies'  territory, 
because  it  is  claimed  and  held  in  possession  by  an  organized,  hostile  and  belliger- 
ent power." 

Thus  every  department  of  the  Government — legislative,  executive  and  judicial 
—has  taken  the  legal  view  which  this  Convention  haa  adopted. 

This  position  is  not  only  true  in  law,  but  in  fact.  The  rebel  districts  have  not 
performed  their  functions  as  States  during  the  past  four  years  ;  they  did  not  re- 
spond when  the  President  called  for  75,000  troops  ;  they  did  not  respond  when  he, 
soon  utter,  called  for  300,000  ;  they  did  not  respond  to  any  of  his  subsequent  calls  ; 
they  did  not  pay  their  taxes  ;  they  did  not  keep  representation  in  Congress  j  they 
failed  in  all  the  duties  of  States.  Besides  their  sins  of  omission,  they  have  sins  of 
commission  which  cannot  be  overlooked.  They  attempted  to  make  treaties  with 
foreign  powers  ;  they  sent  ambassadors  abroad  ;  they  meddled  with  postal  and 
revenue  affairs  ;  they  raised  armies  without  the  consent  of  Congress;  they  fought 
against  the  Government ;  they  formed  alliances  among  themselves  ;  they  denied 
the  authority  of  "  the  supreme  law  of  the  land  ;"  all  of  which  is  inconsistent  with 
the  idea  that  they  continued  actually  to  be  States  in  the  constitutional  sense  of  the 
term. 

.Mr.  Waples  next  proceeded  to  show  that  it  is  not  only  legal  to   treat   the  insur- 
rectionary districts  as  such,  but  highly  expedient.    It  is  the  true  policy  of  the 
.  \ 


25 

country.  The  dignity  of  the  Republic  requires  that  the  inhabitants  of  any  district 
declared  in  insurrection  shall  be  denied  State  privileges  until  they  shall  voluntarily 
petition  for  admission  into  the  Union,  with  a  constitution  not  repugnant  to  that  of 
the  United  States.  State  blessings  should  not  be  forced  upon  them.  When  they 
shall  fully  feel  the  importance  of  admission  into  the  Union  as  States,  they  will 
petition  for  it.  In  the  meantime,  the  nation  can  afford  to  wait.  If  it  should  take 
South  Carolina  ten  years  to  become  educated  in  Republican  principles  so  as  to 
make  her  anxious  for  State  privileges,  that  would  be  far  better  than  her  premature 
admission  into  the  Union.  Ten  years  is  a  short  period  in  the  life  of  a  great  nation. 
Let  us  not  give  either  South  Carolina  or  Louisiana  occasion  to  complain  of  being 
kept  in  the  Ujiion  against  her  will. 

Again,  the  protection  of  Southern  Unionists  requires  the  adoption  of  this  policy. 
They  are  infinitely  more  safe  under  Congress  than  under  a  State  legislature.  The 
loyal  voters  of  Louisiana  are  a  small  minority  ;  the  rebel  voters  are  vastly  in  ma- 
jority. If  Louisiana  is  a  State,  the  Unionists  will  inevitably  be  subjected  to 
taunts,  persecutions,  denial  of  free  speech,  and  to  all  the  embarrassments  under 
which  they  labored  at  the  beginning  of  the  war.  Under  the  plea  of  State  rights, 
the  majority  will  object  to  any  action  on  the  part  of  the  Federal  Government  fo  r 
the  protection  of  those  of  whom  that  Government  claims  allegiance,  although  pro- 
tection and  allegiance  are  correlutive.  States  have  rights— the  National  Govern- 
ment has  rights,  too.  Properly  administered,  these  rights  do  not  conflict.  But 
the  Unionists  of  Louisiana  do  not  believe  that  the  majority  of  voters  here  will 
exercise  State  rights  any  better  now  than  heretofore  ;  and  they  are  not  willing  to 
exchange  their  protection  by  the  Federal  Government  for  the  vain  hope  of  protection 
by  that  majority,  in  the  present  state  of  things.  Let  matters  remain  as  they  are 
till  the  spirit  of  the  majority  in  Louisiana  shall  have  been  improved  by  time. 

Again,  this  policy  should  be  adopted  in  justice  to  the  loyal  citizens  here- 
tofore disfranchised.  If  Louisiana  is  not  a  State,  all  who  compose  the  second 
necessary  element,  that  is,  citizens  owing  allegiance  to  the  Federal  Government 
would  have  a  right  to  take  part  in  framing  the  organic  law.  "  Governments  de- 
rive their  just  powers  from  the  consent  of  the  governed."  This  axiom  applies  to 
State  Governments  as  much  as  to  the  Federal  Government.  The  black  inhabi- 
tants of  Louisiana  are  a  part  of  "  the  governed."  They  are  no  longer  represented 
or  misrepresented  by  their  masters,  so-called.  Minors  and  women  are  part  of  the 
governed,  but  they  are  represented  by  parents,  guardians, .  husbands,  &c.  It  is 
generally  admitted  that  their  exclusion  from  the  polls  is  based  upon  their  own ? 
consent ;  and  therefore  the  fundamental  principle  of  our  Republican  system,  ex- 
pressed ki  the  axiom  just  quoted,  is  not  violated  in  their  case.    But  the  blacks  do 


26 

not  consent  to  be  excluded  from  the  polls,  nor  are  they  represented  by  others. 
They  therefore  do  now  possess  the  right,  without  further  legislation,  to  take  part 
as  voters  in  the  formation  of  a  new  constitution  for  Louisiana,  with  the  view  to 
her  readmission  into  the  Union  as  a  State.  This  is  not  only  legal  and  just,  but  also 
expedient  and  desirable.  It  places  the  friends  of  the  country  in  the  majority.  It 
secures  Republican  government,  freedom  of  speech  and  personal  protection.  The 
loyal  colored  inhabitants  should  be  allowed  to  take  part  in  the  formation  of  a 
State  government,  and  in  its  subsequent  administration  : 

1.  Because  it  would  tend  to  remove  the  prejudice  existing  against  them,  which 
is  the  fruitful  source  of  our  national  and  domestic  troubles. 

2.  Because  it  would  tend  to  secure  peace  and  promote  harmony  among  all 
classes.  0 

3.  Because  it  would  ensure  a  majority  against  treason  ;  and  against  slavery, 
the  basis  of  the  late  rebellion. 

4.  Because  it  would  encourage  our  valuable  agricultural  population  (composed 
almost  exclusively  of  blacks)  to  remain  among  us  to  develop  the  resources  of  the 
State,  and  prevent  the  threatened  forcible  expatriation  of  the  loyal  white  men. 

5.  Because  it  would  tend  to  improve  and  elevate  the  blacks,  cultivate  self- 
respect  and  laudable  ambition,  and  thus  render  them  more  valuable  as  citizens. 

6.  Because  they  are  educated  to  hate  slavery,  treason  and  rebellion,  and  may 
therefore  be  safely  trusted  with  a  voice  upon  the  great  questions  growing  out  of 
the  war. 

7.  Because  they  have  been  too  long  unjustly  deprived  of  a  privilege  which  is 
their  inalienable  right,  under  our  theory  of  government. 

8.  Because  giving  them  the  right  of  suffrage  would  remove  the  charge  of  incon- 
sistency made  by  foreign  statesmen  and  publicists  against  our  Republic. 

9.  Because  it  would  increase  the  whole  number  of  voters,  and  thus  render 
election  frauds  and  corruptions  more  difficult. 

10.  Because  the  blacks  are  loyal,  and  would  therefore  be  valuable  to  the  Federa  1 
Government  in  maintaining  its  interests  here. 

The  people  of  Louisiana  having  been  declared  in  insurrection  ;  the  State  having 
been  destroyed  :  the  Federal  Government  remaining  the  only  legal  authority  having 
jurisdiction  here  ;  the  "  governed"  having  the  right  to  make  a  new  State  organiza- 
tion, (whether  the  governed  be  white  or  black,  or  both,)  it  may  be  asked  :  "  Why 
then  should  we  not  at  once  proceed  to  make  a  new  constitution  expressly  provide 
that  all  male  adults  may  vote,  and  submit  the  constitution  to  the  whole  people  for 
adoption  or  rejection  V'  The  answer  is,  that  the  present  state  of  the  public  mind 
is  not  favorable  to  such  action  at  the  present  time.    The  colored  people  have  the 


27 

ight  to  vote,  but  they  would  be  disturbed  in  the  exercise  of  that  right.  If  we 
had  the  power  now  in  this  Convention  to  make  a  Republican  constitution,  it  could 
not  be  carried  into  effect  in  the  country  parishes,  for  the  national  troops  would 
probably  be  withdrawn  as  soon  as  we  should  be  admitted  as  a  State.  Persecution, 
thuggery  and  unfair  dealing  towards  the  new  voters  would  follow.  The  wronged 
would  appeal  to  courts  and  juries  in  vain.  They  would  have  the  legal  right  to  re 
dress  for  their  grievances,  but  they  would  be  practically  denied  the  legal  remedy. 
The  slave  has  had  the  legal  right  to  the  wril^  of  habeas  corpus  ever  since  the  Consti- 
tution of  the  United  States  was  adopted  ;  for  that  writ  is  not  confined  to  whites, 
nor  to  citizens,  nor  to  freemen,  nor  to  inhabitants  of  the  country.  A  HDttentot,  an 
hour  after  landing  upon  our  shores,  if  held  in  durance,  has  ever  had  the  right  to 
this  writ,  by  which  the  validity  of  his  arrest  and  deprivation  of  liberty  could  be 
examined.  And  yet  four  millions  of  persons  have  been  held  in  durance,  with  the 
legal  right  to  the  writ,  but  without  the  ability  practically  to  exercise  it.  The 
colored  man  would  find  his  rights,  as  a  voter,  trampled  upon  by  disloyal  white 
men,  and  he  would  find  his  legal  remedy  fail  him. 

He  would  be  driven  to  the  last  resort — and  who  wants  a  war  of  races?  None 
but  a  madman.  On  the  other  hand,  if  we  remain  under  the  exclusive  control  of 
the  Federal  Government  in  a  condition  similar  to  that  of  the  territories  till  the 
bitterness  engendered  by  the  war  shall  have  been  somewhat  allayed  ;  until  the 
whites  shall  have  seen  that  the  colored  citizens  are  sober,  industrious  and  eminently 
law-abiding  ;  until  their  present  vague  hopes  of  restoring  slavery  in  another  form 
shall  have  been  dissipated,  we  may  then  act  with  certainty  of  success.  If.  while 
we  are  waiting,  the  General  Government  should  adopt  the  policy  of  recognizing 
the  insurrectionary  districts  as  States  never  destroyed  and  indistructible,  (contrary 
to  law  and  fact,)  then  it  might  be  wise  to  proceed  without  further  delay  in  inaugu- 
rating a  movement  of  all  citizens  to  form  a  Republican  State  government,  deriviug 
its  powers  from  the  consent  of  all  the  governed,  notwithstanding  the  difficulties 
suggested.  Mr.  Waples  remarked,  in  conclusion,  that  the  Convention  had  already 
unanimously  adopted  the  true  theory  in  the  resolutions  constituting  the  Republican 
platform  of  Louisiana.  You  have  resolved,  further,  that  it  would  be  unwise  to 
admit  the  inhabitants  of  Louisiana  at  once  into  the  Union  as  a  State.  These  prin- 
ciples have  been  held  by  the  true  loyalists  of  Louisiana  for  the  past  two  or  three 
years.  In  the  "  Convention  of  the  Frie*nds  of  Freedom,"  held  in  Lyceum  Hall, 
New  Orleans,  December  15th,  1863,  it  was  unanimously 

11  Resolved—  That  the  State  governments  of  the. rebellious  States  were  unjustly  and 
illegally  disorganized,  subverted  and  overthrown,  by  the  hands  of  armed  traitors  ; 
and  the  subsequent  conquest  of  the  territory  of  those  States  does  not  operate  the 
restoration  of  the  State  governments . 


28 

"  J?e*o7r«J— That  the  only  proper  method  for  the  insurrectionary  distrits  to  pursue, 
in  older  to  regain  their  position   as  States  in    the   Union,  is  to  call  conventions, 
adopt  constitutions  ior  the  new  States,  and  petition  Congress  for  admission  into 
the  liiion. 

l-J\(.<uivai— That  so  farfroin  objecting  to  the  organization  of  territorial  governments 
lor  the  Stalls  subverted  by  the  rebels,  we  consider  such  organization  the  safest 
com  he  and  the  tin  est  method  to  secure  free  State  governments  ;  the  most  effectual 
remedy  for  the  evils  of  secession  ;  the  plan  most  likely  to  satisfy  the  malcontents, 
as  they  would  be  debarred  the  plea  of  being  kept  in  the  Union  against  their  will." 

Mr.  Waples  avowed  himself  the  author  of  these  resolutions,  and  stated  that  the 
Hon.  B.  F,  Flanders  and  Charles  W.  Hornor,Esq.,  acted  with  him  on  the  committee 
which  reported  them,  with  other  resolutions,  to  the  Convention.  They  were 
adopted,  at  that  early  day,  without  a  dissenting  voice,  as  before  remarked.  They 
contained,  even  then,  no  new  doctrine,  so  far  as  the  speaker  was  concerned.  Be- 
lore  a  single  State  had  passed  its  ordinance  of  secession,  he  had  contended  that 
should  any  State,  or  people  thereof,  disown  allegiance  to  the  Federal  Government, 
the  latter  would  have  the  right  to  treat  such  State  and  people  as  in  a  provincial 
or  territorial  condition.  He  was  not  now  giving  the  Convention  the  crude  and 
undigested  notion  of  the  moment,  but  the  settled  conviction  of  his  mind  upon  the 
subject. 

Our  hope  is  in  Congress.  .We  must  labor  to  disabuse  the  minds  of  loyal  Northern 
members  of  the  effect  of  the  insidious  argument  that  it  would  be  unjust  to  Southern 
loyalists  to  treat  them  as  the  inhabitants  of  territories.  It  would  be  their  salvation. 
The  speaker  knew  that  the  Northern  members  had  heretofore  been  much  staggered 
by  this  argument ;  and,  in  their  commendable  desire  to  protect  the  rights  of  the 
few  in  the  South  who  have  remained  steadfast  in  their  loyalty,  they  seem  to  have 
forgotten  that  the  worst  evil  that  can  befall  us  is  the  handing  of  us  over  to  the 
cruel  mercies  of  our  enemies.  If  this  policy  should  prevail  we  may  all  exclaim : 
•'  Let  our  name  be  Ichabod,  for  the  glory  has  departed  !" 

Mr.  Crane  spoke  most  earnestly  against  the  resolution.    Mr.  Conway  presented. 

the  following  amendment : 

i:  Resolved— 1ha.t  the  subject  of  the  formation  of  a  State  Constitution  be  committed 
by  this  Convention  to  the  State  Central  Committee,  and  that  said  Committee  be, 
and  is,  hereby,  empowered  to  dispose  of  the  subject  according  to  its  best  judgment 

In  defence  of  this  resolution,  Mr.  Warmoth  said  that  in  his  opinion  it  would  not 
be  inconsistent  nor  bad  policy  for  the  Republican  party  to  frame  a  State  Constitu- 
tion. The  only  objection  to  it  might  be  that  as  the  Convention  represents  but  a  few 
parishes  of  the  State,  the  constitution  formed  by  them  would  lack,  as  well  as  that 
of  1864,  the  sanction  of  the  majority  which  alone  could  invest  it  with  authority. 


29 

But  as  to  the  right  of  the  Convention  to  propose  a  constitution,  certainly  they 
have  it ;  for  any  one  citizen  in  a  territory  has  a  right  to  write  a  constitution  and 
assemble  his  fellow-citizens  and  propose  to  them  to  approve  that  document ;  and 
if  adopted  by  the  majority,  it  becomes  the  law  of  the  land.  As  for  the  alleged  in- 
expediency of  the  proposed  measure,  Mr.  Warmoth  remarked  that  if  the  friends  of 
universal  liberty  and  equality  are  now  opposed  to  the  admission  of  Louisiana  as  a 
State,  their  only  objection  is  that  the  constitution  of  1864,  by  which  the  majority 
of  the  white  inhabitants  pretend  to  be  now  ruled,  does  not  grant  the  colored  popu- 
lation their  political  rights.  Let  us  then  frame  a  constitution  which  will  recognize 
those  rights  5  for  the  moment  is  not  far  off  when  it  will  be  absolutely  necessary  to 
recognize  the  State.  It  will  be  impossible  for  the  Federal  Government  to  hold  the 
Southern  States  under  one  man's  power  for  several  years,  until  the  political  train- 
ing of  the  white  man  be  reformed. 

Dr.  Cromwell  spoke  in  favor -of  Mr.  Warmoth's  resolution,  saying  that  now  was 
the  time  for  the  colored  man  to  take  this  matter  in  hand  and  participate  in  the 
framing  of  the  constitution  which  he  wishes  to  live  under. 

Messrs.  Houston  Reedy  and  Jervis  spoke  against  that  measure  altogether,  while 
Messrs.  Curiel  and  Thomas,  of  Baton  Rouge,  declared  themselves  for  the  amend- 
ment.   The  latter  was  finally  adopted. 

Mr.  Soulie  presented  a  resolution  in  regard  to  the  nomination  of  two  delegates  to 
Congress.  Mr.  Soulie  moved,  as  an  amendment,  to  strike  out  the  word  "  two," 
and  substitute  the  word  "  one."  Mr.  Craig  would  prefer  two  delegates,  one  white 
and  the  other  colored.  The  latter  would  have  a  chance  of  being  invited  to  take  a 
seat  in  the  House,  which  would  be  a  great  step '  towards  progress  ;  and  besides,  it 
is  most  probable  that  he  could  have  an  interview  with  the  President,  and  let  him 
know  the  feelings,  the  wants,  the  sufferings  and  the  hopes  of  the  colored  popula- 
tion of  Louisiana. 

Dr.  Lewis  said  a  few  words  in  favor  of  sending  but  one  delegate,  while  Mr. 
Noble  was,  on  the  contrary,  'for  sending  a  colored  delegate  along  with  the  other 
one.  Mr.  Blanc  Joubert  wanted  to  know  where  the  money  for  keeping  two  dele- 
gates in  Washington,  for  six  or  eight  months,  will  come  from.  It  is  very  well  to 
say  that  two  or  four  delegates  would  be  better  than  one,  but  who  are  the  parties 
to  pay  the  expense?  It  is  said  that  it  would  be  a  good  stroke  to  send  a  colored 
man  to  Washington— a  clever,  decent  and  gentlemanlike  one,  an  honor  to  the 
race — to  show  the  Washington  people  what  are  the  American  born  citizens,  whom 
the  Southern  white  people  deprive  of  their  political  rights.  Do  those  who  speak 
so  imagine  that  the  Congressmen,  the  President  and  other  politicians  have  not 
already  seen  colored  men  of  all  degrees,  all  ranks  and  all  hues  ? 


30 

Mr.  Flanders  said  that  if  we  considered  Louisiana  as  a  territory,  we  are  not  en- 
titled to  more  than  one  delegate  ;  and  that  delegate  having  to  compete  with  the 
most  experienced  gentlemen  of  the  South,  must  have  many  qualifications  of  mind, 
manners,  experience,  talents  and  weighty  influence.  But  it  would  be  well  if  the 
other  friends  of  the  cause  in  Louisiana  would  go  along  with  him  to  give  him  addi- 
tional weight. 

Mr,  Rums  Waples  rose  to  a  point  of  order.  It  was  decided  last  night  that  there 
would  be  but  one  delegate  sent  to  the  Capitol,  therefore  all  that  discussion  is  out 
of  order.    Agreed  to. 

Mr.  Hire  moved  that  the  Convention  proceed  by  ballot  to  nominate  one  delegate. 
Carried.  Mr.  Durant  appointed  Messrs.  Jean  Rotgd,  A.  W.  Lewis,  O.  J.  Dunn  and 
John  Page,  as  tellers.  He  thanked  those  members  who  proposed  him  for  the  nomina- 
tion ;  but  he  was  compelled  to  decline  that  honor  for  several  weighty  reasons,  the 
principal  one  of  which  is  that  when  the  movement  of  universal  suffrage  was  com- 
menced he  resolved  to  accept  of  no  office,  honor  or  emolument  connected  with  it, 
in  order  to  be  entirely  untrammelled  with  personal  interest  in  the  matter.  (Ap- 
plause.) 

Mr.  Warmoth  was  nominated  by  an  overwhelming  majority,  and  the  nomina- 
tion declared  unanimous. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Soulie,  the  Convention  reconsidered  their  vote  of  yesterday,  on 
his  resolutions  regarding  the  Central  Executive  Committee.  Agreed  to,  and  the 
following  substituted  : 

1.  Resolved—  That  the  present  Central  Executive  Committee  of  the  Friends  of 
Universal  Suffrage  be  continued  as  the  Central  State  Executive  Committee,  with  the  ad- 
dition of  five  country  members,  to  be  chosen  by  the  Committee. 

2.  That  said  Committee  have  charge  of  all  business  connected  with  the  objects 
and  wishes  of  the  party  and  the  advancement  of  its  best  interests. 

3.  That  said  Committee  shall  sit  at  least  once  a  month,  at  6uch  place  in  the 
city  and  time  as  they  may  select,  after  sufficient  notice  in  the  organ  of  the  party  ;  and 
shall  have  the  right  to  fill  all  vacancies  that  may  occur  in  their  body. 

4.  That  said  Central  State  Executive  Committee  be  empowered  to  raise  funds  by 
contributions  or  otherwise,  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  party  organization,  and  to 
disburse  the  same,  provided  that  no  appropriation  shall  have  effect  without  the 
concurrence  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present ;  and  provided,  also,  that  all  ap- 
propriations exceeding  one  hundred  dollars  shall  lie  over  to  the  next  meeting. 

5.  That  a  majority  of  the  members  returned  shall  be  a  quorum  to  transact 
business. 


31 

Mr.  J.  A.  Craig  proposed  that  the  Central  Committee  have,  as  soon  as  practica 
ble,  the  proceedings  of  this  Convention  published  in  pamphlet  form.    Carried. 

Mr.  Joseph  S.  Soude  moved  that  a  vote  of  thanks  be  tendered  by  this  Convention 
to  the  Economy  and  Mutual  Assistance  Society,  for  the  use  of  the  hall  for  this 
Convention,  and  that  the  President  give  the  necessary  instructions  to  the  Secretary 
to  send  a  letter  to  the  President  and  members  of  the  Society  to  that  effect.  Carried. 

Mr.  Conway  moved  that  a  collection  be  taken  up  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the 
Convention,  and  that  the  same  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  President,  to  be  by 
him  transferred  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  Central  Executive  Committee  for  disburse- 
ment.   Carried.    The  hat  was  passed  around  and  the  sum  of  $55  20  was  collected . 

Mr.  Craig  moved  that  the  member  elected  as  delegate  to  Washington  be  invited 
to  address  the  Convention  at  6  o'clock  in  the  evening.    Adopted. 

Mr.  Jervis  proposed  that  the  poll  books  and  ballots  cast  at  the  next  election  for 
delegates  to  Congress  be  returned  to  the  President  of  the  Central  Executive  Com- 
mittee of  the  Republican  Party  of  Louisiana,  and  he,  together  with  the  Secretary, 
count  the  same  ;  and  the  President  is  authorized  to  famish  credentials  to  the  can- 
didate receiving  the  highest  number  of  votes.    Adop  ted . 

Capt.  Noble  offered  a  resolution  tendering  the  thanks  of  the  Convention  to  the* 
Central  Executive  Committee,  for  the  services  they  have  rendered  the  people. 

Mr.  Warmoth  asked  to  be  excused  from  delivering  a  speech  this  evening,  and 
offered  reasons,  which  were  accepted. 

Mr.  Seiler  introduced  a  resolution  thanking  Mr.  Thomas  J.  Durant  for  the 
courteous  manner  and  impartial  spirit  with  which  he  presided  oyer  the  meetings 
of  the  Convention. 

A  substitute,  offered  by  Mr.  Soude*,  including  all  the  officers  and  committees  of 
the  Convention,  was  adopted  unanimously. 

Mr.  Durant  delivered  a  short  but  feeling  speech,  in  response  to  the  resolution 
of  thanks  just  adopted. 

Rev.  Mr.  Conway  closed  the  proceedings  with  one  of  those  eloquent  prayers 
which  spring  forth  so  naturally  from  his  heart  to  his  lips,  and  the  Convention  ad- 
journed sine  die. 


November  13,  1865. 

The  printing  of  this  pamphlet  having  been  delayed,  we  are  enabled  to  give  the 
result  of  the  election  for  a  delegate  to  Congress,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Central 
Executive  Committee  of  the  Republican  party  of  Louisiana. 

The  election  took  place,  according  to  the  plan  of  the  Committee  an  d  Conven- 
tion, on  Monday,  the  6th  day  of  November,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  elections 
of  the  parties  claiming  to  be  the  only  authorized  legal  electors.  Polls  were 
opened  by  the  commissioners  of  election,  and  the  votes  cast  for  the  nominee  of  the 
Convention,  Judge  H.  C.  Warmoth,  according  to  the  official  returns  received  by 
the  Central  Executive  Committee,  were  as  follows,  viz  : 

Parish  of  Orleans 9.082 

"       "  Jefferson 2,669 

"      "  St.  John  the  Baptist .'      874 

"       "St.  Charles 813 

"      •'  Ascension : 756 

"       "  Point  Coupee 82 1 

"  St.  Tammany 136 

"      ' !  Terrebonne 1,358 

"       "  East  Baton  Rouge 1,836 

"      "  West  Baton  Rouge 492 

Total. 187840 

For  the  want  of  time,  and  persons  to  organize  and  hold  elections  in  most  of  the 
other  parishes,  no  elections  took  place.  It  is  evident  from  the  facts  of  the 
outrages  committed,  as  authentically  stated  in  various  communications  received 
by  the  Executive  Committee,  that  no  elections  would  have  been  permitted  in  any 
of  the  parishes  where  the  military  authority  is  not  paramount.  The  following 
cases  are  in  point : 

[From  the  N.  0.  Tribune  of  Nov.  8th  and  9th.  1 

BREAKING  OF  A  BALLOT-BOX. 

We  had,  last  night,  the  pleasure  to  see  in  our  office  Mr.  John  Johnson,  a  very 
active  friend  of  our  cause  in  the  Parish  of  Assumption,  who  had  to  flee,  on  Monday, 
to  this  city,  to  avoid  persecution. 

From  the  information  given  us  by  that  reliable  gentleman,  it  appears  that  the 
military  authorities  at  Napoleonville,  banded  together  with  the  civil  officers, 
took  upon  themselves  to  interfere,  in  the  most  brutal  manner,  with  the  private 
affairs  of  the  Republicans  of  that  parish. 

On  election  day,  at  about  10  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  sheriff,  O.  Melauco'n, 
and  a  squad  of  cavalrymen  went  to  our  poll  at  Napoleonville,  took  forcible  posses- 
sion of  the  ballot-box,  broke  it  open,  scattered  the  tickets  they  found  therein,  and 
carried  away  a  sum  of  $80,  amount  of  voluntary  contributions  by  the  voters,  col- 
lected during  the  morning. 


34 

Messrs.  Eudaldo  Pintado  and  Peter  Hills,  two  well-known  Republicans  of  that 
place,  who  were  seen  at  the  poll  by  the  invaders,  were  arrested  by  order  of  a 
colonel  and  brought  to  jail,  where  they  were  still  when  our  informant,  Mr.  John 
Johnson,  left  the  village  in  great  haste  to  avoid  a  similar  fate. 
'  The  sheriff  of  that  parish,  who  has  brought  so  unenviable  notoriety  upon  his 
name  by  such  an  unwarranted  act  of  violence,  is  one  of  the  signers  of  the  Ordi- 
nance of  Secession  ;  and  when  the  Federal  forces  took  possession  of  Napoleonville, 
he  fled  to  the  so-called  Confederate  States,  where  he  remained,  attending  to  his 
private  speculations,  until  the  war  was  over.  When  Kirby  Smith's  army  surren- 
dered, Mr.  0.  Melancon  returned  to  his  native  place  ;  but  on  his  way  thither  he 
had  to  pass  through  this  city,  and  called  upon  Mr.  Wells.  As  soon  as  our  kind 
Governor  was  told  how  sound  a  secessionist  that  person  was,  he  appointed  him  at 
once  sheriff  of  the  parish.  As  for  the  colonel  who  so  recklessly  exceeded  his  au- 
thority by  doing  at  Napoleonville  what  Major  Generals  Sheridan,  Canby,  T.  W. 
Sherman,  0.  0.  Howard  and  Fullerton  did  not  think  proper  to  do  in  this  city, 
when  our  colored  fellow-citizens  went  openly  and  in  broad  day  light  to  No.  49 
Union  street  to  bring  in  their  contributions  to  our  fund,  or  when  they  went  to 
vote  on  Monday,  his  name  is,  if  we  mistake  not,  Selles,  and  he  commands  the  3d 
Rhode  Island  Cavalry  regiment.  More,  than  once  he  has  expressed  his  intention 
to  settle  in  that  parish  as  soon  as  his  regiment  is  mustered  out  of  service,  and 
devote  his  time  to  the  legal  profession.  That  may  account  for  his  excessive  par- 
tiality for  the  copperheads  of  that  place. 

The  other  polls  were  closed  by  military  order  in  the  same  parish  ;  and  we  are 
informed  that  670  votes  were  already  polled  at  that  early  hour,  when  the  mass  of 
the  colored  citizens,  rather  than  resort  to  force  in  defence  of  their  rights,  as  they 
might  have  thought  it  justifiable  to  do,  concluded  not  to  proceed  with  their 
election,  and  dispersed  quietly. 

H.  C.  WARMOTH  AND  THE  LEGAL  POLLS. 

A  great  many  votes  were  cast  on  Monday  at  the  legal  polls,  in  behalf  of  H.  C. 
Warmoth,  for  Congress.  Judge  Warmoth  was  voted  for  by  the  Republicans  in  all 
congressional  districts,  but  no  official  return  was  furnished  of  the  votes  which 
were  cast  for  him.  We  can,  however,  estimate  the  Republican  vote  in  the  Parish 
of  Orleans  : 

Total  vote  cast 9,800 

Allen  and  Wells  together .' 7,500 

Balance  for  Warmoth 2,300 

We  never  heard  before  of  returns  being  truncated,  to  the  detriment  of  one  of 
the  candidates.    But  everything  is  fair  play  against  the  "  negroes." 

MORE  OUTRAGES. 

No  polls  were  permitted  in  Covington  for  the  disfranchised.  This  is  another 
proof  of  the  loyalty  of  Louisiana,  and  also  another  reason  why  we  should  continue 
to  insist  claiming  the  right  of  representation  with  taxation,  and  not  as  our  friends 
who  have  just  returned  from  a  four  years'  crusade  against  Justice  and  Humanity 
would  have  us  to  accept,  as  we  have  always  done,  namely :  to  be  taxed  for  the 
support  of  their  schools  and  other  institutions  of  the  State,  and  still  have  no  voice 
in  the  disposition  of  the  money  drawn  from  us. 

We  learn  that  the  commissioners  of  the  Parish  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  who 
had  brought  the  returns  to  this  city,  Messrs.  D.  Burel  and  Cephes,  were  arrested . 
upon  a  frivolous  charge,  by  the  police  of  New  Orleans,  when  about  to  leave  this 
place.  The  arrest  took  place  about  eleven  o'clock  yesterday  morning.  We  will 
be  able  to  give  more  information  on  this  new  act  of  persecution  in  our  next  issue. 

As  to  the  arrests  in  the  Parish  of  Assumption,  we  received  yesterday  from  one 
of  the  accused,  Mr.  Eudaldo  Pintado,  late  member  of  the  Convention,  the  following 
letter,  which  speaks  for  itself  : 


35 

(  the  jail  oft 

November  7th,  1865'. 


Napoleonville,  in  the  jail  of  the  Parish  of  Assumption,  ) 


Messrs.  the  Editors  of  the  New  Orleans  Tribune  : 

Please  have  the  kindness  to  report  to  the  Central  Committee  that  yesterday- 
morning,  while  I  was  in  the  discharge  of  my  duties  as  commissioner  of  election 
for  this  parish,  I  was  arrested  by  order  from  headquarters  at  Napoleonville,  in 
consequence  of  a  report  made  by  several  rebels  of  this  place,  who  made  the  charge 
of  having  enticed  the  freedmen  away  from  their  employers.,  against  me  as  well  as 
other  persons  who  were  acting  with  me  as  commissioners,  and  are  now  imprisoned 
with  me. 

I  would  like  to  know  whether  these  men  had  a  right  to  act  as  they  did  ;  and  if 
they  had  not,  I  beg  of  you  to  take  that  affair  in  your  charge,  for  if  we  stay  here 
much  longer  we  will  be  reduced  to  the  condition  of  skeletons  and  eaten  up  by 
vermin  ;  for  since  Ave  were  arrested  we  could  get  only  a  dozen  biscuits,  full  of 
maggots,  for  four  of  us  to  feed  upon.  Is  that  the  treatment  in  reserve  for  men 
devoted  to  the  Union,  and  whose  wrong  is  to  advocate  a  righteous  cause  ? 

Please  inform  immediately  our  friend,  Mr.  Gallup,  that  he  may  procure  a  coun- 
sel for  us,  for  we  have  none  to  expect  from  the  persons  hereabout,  our  persecutors 
being  nothing  but  rebels,  and  one  of  the  first  among  them  the  sheriff,  one  of  the 
signers  of  the  Ordinance  of  Secession.  Yours,  etc.,  etc. 

E.  G.  Pintado. 

VOLUNTARY  ELECTION— THE  LATEST  RETURNS. 

The  election  has  been  prevented,  by  means  of  intimidation,  in  the  parishes  of 
Lafourche  and  St.  Tammany.  However,  in  the  last  named,  polls  were  open  in 
Madison ville,  where  136  votes  were  cast  for  H.  C.  Warmoth. 


^JPPETSTDIX 


NEW  OUTRAGES  AND  PERSECUTIONS. 

After  the  ridiculous  and  unwarrantable  arrest,  in  this  city,  of  the  two  citizens 
who  brought  here  the  returns  of  the  voluntary  election  for  the  parish  of  St.  John 
the  Baptist,  we  do  not  wonder  at  hearing  that;  the  persecution  against  these  gen- 
tlemen is  still  going  on.  On  Sunday  afternoon,  Messrs.  Dan.  Burel  and  William 
Smith  were  arrested  at  Bonnet  Carre,  by  a  deputy  sheriff,  it  is  said,  and  taken  to 
the  parish  jail. 

The  charge  is,  as  before,  a  frivolous  one — an  illegal  one— a  mere  persecution. 
Lieutenant  Rich,  the  Provost  Marshal,  has  done  all  in  his  power  to  discourage  the 
voluntary  election,  and,  therefore,  cannot  be  expected  to  do  complete  justice  to 
our  friends. 

This  renewal  of  a  persecution,  which  has  to  terminate,  sooner  or  later,  to  the 
confusion  of  its  promoters  and  agents,  ha3  something  mean  and  even  puerile,  We 
would  rather  like  to  meet  the  rebels  again  on  the  battle-field  like  men. 

We  recommend  the  investigation  of  this  case  to  the  Sub-Committee  of  the 
Central  Executive  Board. 


From  the  New  Orleans  Tribune,  of  Nov.  14, 

THE  REPUBLICAN  MEETING  LAST  NIGHT. 

In  spite  of  the  bad  weather  we  had  yesterday,  the  Republican  meeting  held 
last  night  at  the  Orleans  Theatre,  was  very  well  attended.  We  noticed  in  the 
house  an  unusual  array  of  ladies  and  an  uncommon  mixture  of  white  citizens.  A 
good  brass  band  discoursed  for  some  time  popular  tunes  amidst  the  cheers  of  the 
audience,  and  when  the  clock  struck  seven,  the  curtain  rose  and  Mr.  Crane  opened 
the  meeting  by  proposing  the  Hon.  B.  F.  Flanders  for  President.  That  gentleman 
was  warmly  welcomed  with  applause,  when  he  took  his  seat. 

The  following  list  of  Vice-Presidents  and  Secretaries  was  then  read  . 

Vice-Presidents — Hon.  Anthony  Fernandez,  Hon.  Charles  Smith,  Hon.  E. 
Hiestand,  Hon.  T.  J.  Durant,  William  H.  Higgins,  G.  W.  Breckinridge.  Col.  C.  W- 
Fox,  J.  Mohan,  B.  Rush  Plumley,  Capt.  F.  H.  Morse,  W.  R.  Harmount,  D.  C.  Wood, 
ruff,  A.  Commagere,  Ansel  Edwards,  Thomas  H.  Bell,  Henry  C.  Dibble,  John  Page, 
Henrv  Train,  E.  Warren,  C.  W.  Hornor,  J.  0.  Newman,  A.  W.  Lewis,  Alfred  Jervis, 
Col .  T.  B.  Thorpe,  W.  R.  Crane,  Capt.  Henry  Stiles,  Dr.  W.  H.  Hire,  J.  L.  Imlay,  Dr. 
J.  White,  Alfred  Rougelot,  Robert  Bennie,  NathanJWilley,  F.  C.  Baxter,  H.  A.  Gal- 
lup, Thomas  Page,  Sebastian  Seiler,  William  H.  Crawford,  Theoden  Pincus,  B.  G. 
Hank,  John  Moliere,  Dr.  J.  B  Long,  Thomas  McRea,  F.  L.  James,  William  H.  Peni- 
berton,  James  E.  Tewel,  Thomas  E.  Ransom,  Edward  Meyer,  L.  S.  Buchanan,  Dr. 
M.  Schuppert,  M.  L.  Block,  A.  Delage,  A.  Sarta,  James  Mushaway,  A.  W.  Rodgers, 
F.  Marie,  Dr.  A.  Shelley,  Joseph  Soudd,  Noel  Bacchus,  Othello  Laines,  Pierre  Can- 
elle,  Francois  Escoffie,  Manuel  Moreau,  Basile  Brion,  Arnold  Bertaunneau,  Laurent 
August,  G.  Casnave,  Theodule  Delassize,  E.  Dubois,  L.  Lamaniere,  L.  Follin,  E. 
Azigg,  D.  B.  Macarty,  Vr.  Ce'ressoles,  F.  C.  Cristophe,  Ernest  Joubert,  B.  Saulay, 
Joseph  Curiel,  Paul  Trdvigne,  H.  Glaudin,  Myrtile  Courcelle,  B.  Soulier,  Armand 


38 

LanuR6e,  H.  Camp,  Dr.  Roudanea,  J .  B.  D.  Bonseigneur,  Charles  Aubert,  J.  B.  No- 
ble, R.  H.  Isabelle,  W.  C.  Johnston,  G.  Smoot,  Dr.  W.  A.  Lewis,  Camille  Thierry, 
Blanc  Joubert,  J.  B.  Clay,  Aristide  Mary,  Brou  Mathe,  Edmond  Dupuy,  Charles 
Courcelle,  L.  T.  Veissier,  Charles  Morant,  William  Lillert,  S.  H.  Rush,  George  Her- 
riman,  A.  L.  Chessd,  A.  Latone,  F.  Xavier,  G.  P.  Dupin,  Edmond  Rillieux,  Henry 
Bonseigneur,  Louis  Banks,  R.  I.  Cromwell,  John  Parsons,  John  Keppard,  E.  Car- 
ter, Thomas  Isabelle,  J.  H.  A.  Roberts. 

Secretaries— J.  A.  Noble,  Charles  Montieu,  Oscar  J.  Dunn. 


New  Orleans  Times  Report  of  the  Meeting. 

THE  REPUBLICAN  PARTY— MASS  MEETING  AT  THE  ORLEANS  THEATRE- 
SPEECHES  BY  B.  F.  FLANDERS,  RUFUS  WAPLES  AND  H.  C.  WARMOTH. 

According  to  announcement,  a  mass  meeting  of  the  Republican  party  was  held 
last  evening  at  the  Orleans  Theatre.  The  audience  was  large,  two-thirds  of  which 
was  of  the  colored  population. 

Agreeably  to  our  custom,  we  give  an  impartial  report  of  the  speeches  made 
on  the  occasion,  premising  that  neither  a  list  of  the  vice-presidents  nor  a  copy  of 
the  resolutions  were  furnished  us. 

Mr.  Crane  stepped  forward,  and  stating  the  object  of  the  meeting,  read  a  list 
of  president  and  vice-presidents,  that  were  elected  officers  of  the  meeting  by  ac- 
clamation. 

Mr.  B.  F.  Flanders,  the  President,  then  addressed  the  assemblage  in  the  fol- 
lowing words : 

I  bad  not  prepared  a  speech,  nor  did  I  expect  to  address  you  this  evening.  I 
expect  simply  to  preside.  I  am  content  to  act  as  chairman  in  the  introduction  of 
other  speakers,  who  will  address  you  upon  this  occasion, 

Perhaps  it  may  be  necessary  that  I  should  speak  to  you  upon  the  nature  of  the 
Republican  party — the  Union  party  of  Louisiana.  When  the  rebellion  collapsed, 
when  the  rebels  came  back  among  us  and  desired  to  renew  their  citizenship,  we 
gladly  received  them. 

The  people  of  the  United  States  were  willing  to  accept  their  protestations. 
Taking  their  protestations  of  willingness  to  live  under  the  Constitution  and  the 
laws,  the  people  accepted  them  once  more.  They  enter  the  State,  they  take  pos- 
session, and  close  by  slamming  the  doors  at  the  face  of  Union  men,  and  of  men 
who  have  never  manifested  any  other  feeling  than  that  of  loyalty. 

Instead  of  maintaining  a  spirit  of  good  will,  they  have  denied  their  offices  to 
Union  men.  In  their  nominations,  not  one  loyal  man,  not  one  with  any  preten- 
sions to  loyalty,  was  received,  with  the  exception  of  their  candidate  for  Governor, 
and  he  was  brought  over  with  the  prospect  of  obtaining  the  position.  Jacob  Bar- 
ker—I suppose  there  is  no  doubt  of  his  loyalty — is,  perhaps,  another  exception. 
Saving  these  two,  I  do  not  know  of  any  other  loyal  man  upon  their  ticket. 

This  must  have  been  either  because  the  Democratic  party  trusted  no  loyal 
man,  or  that  no  loyal  man  trusted  the  Democratic  party.  After  they  had  taken 
possession  of  the  house  ;  after  they  had  slammed  the  door,  finding  one  or  two 
men  who  still  claimed  to  be  loyal  inside,  the  windows  and  the  doors  were  suddenly 
opened,  and  they  were  thrown  out,  heels  over  head — kicked  out.  Nay,  they  boast 
that  in  a  short  time  they  will  kick  out  the  Governor  himself.    • 

The  views  of  the  Republican  party  are  clear.  They  represent  equal  rights 
before  the  law.  We  hear  it  stated  that  the  men  of  tbis  party — they  who  are  the 
advocates  of  equal  rights— will  yet  be  killed  upon  the  streets— that  it  will  be  un- 
safe for  them  to  hold  their  opinions.  This  threat  has  been  held  out  to  us  that  the 
Union  men  are  to  be  killed.     (Cries  of  never,  never.)    Now,  some  of  us  may  fall. 


39 

If  we  cannot  discuss  our  principles  without  fear  of  assassination,  we  may  know  it. 
Whatever  the  Democratic  party  here  may  advocate,  they  of  the  North  are  irrevo- 
cably wedded  to  this  doctrine,  the  right  of  free  speech  and  a  free  press. 

I  counsel  patience  and  forbearance  to  you  all ;  to  patiently  bear  the  wrongs, 
the  insultb  to  which  you  are  subjected.  I  would  have  you  guilty  of  no  indiscreet 
act  of  violence  or  outrage.  Let  us  bear  and  suffer  wrongs,  for  to  act  in  a  hasty 
manner  is  what  our  opponents  desire. 

Mr.  Flanders  closed  his  remarks  in  counselling  the  colored  people  to  go  on  as 
they  had  previously  been  doing,  the  firm,  the  steady  advocates  of  equality  before 
the  law. 

On  the  close  of  the  speech,  Mr.  Flanders  introduced  Rufus  Waples  to  the  au- 
dience, who  was  received  with  loud  cheering. 

SPEECH   OP  RUFUS   WAPLES. 

Mr.  President,  Gentlemen  and  Fellow-Citizens  : 

It  is  a  great  privilege,  as  well  as  a  great  responsibility,  to  address  such  a 
crowd  of  honest  men  upon  the  topics  of  the  day.  I  feel  that  the  welcome  given 
to  me  was  not  for  me  alone,  but  for  the  people's  cause  I  plead.  I  regret  we  have 
not  here  the  Honorable  Senator  Yates,  of  Illinois,  nor  that  noble  tribune  of  the 
people,  Thomas  J.  Durant. 

Here  the  speaker  mapped  out  his  intentions,  in  saying,  though  he  would  call 
things  by  their  right  names,  yet  he  would  endeavor  to  give  offense  to  none.  He 
did  not  indulge  in  invective,  nor  was  it  his  policy  to  give  acrimonious  words.  If 
he  thrust  an  arrow  in  the  breast  of  an  opponent,  he  was  welcome  to  thrust  it  back 
again. 

If  I  use  the  term  rebel,  it  is  because  the  man  has  revolted  against  his  coun- 
try. If  I  use  the  term  traitor,  it  is  in  the  constitutional  sense.  If  I  use  the  term 
rebellion,  it  is  because  no  other  word  can  fit  or  express  the  hellish  character  of  the 
thing. 

In  the  late  election  held  in  our  midst,  one  was  legal,  the  other  voluntary. 
One  half  of  the  one  was  made  up  of  the  disloyal,  the  other  held  by  those  whose  every 
bone  was  loyal  to  the  United  States.  One  of  them  was  composed  of  men  who 
still  walk  the  streets  and  fUht  their  battles  over  again,  boasting  triumphs  over 
the  Federal  arms.  The  other  is  composed  of  men  who  are  calmly  and  dispassion- 
ately  viewing  the  results  of  things,  with  no  other  object  in  view  than  to  petition 
Congress  for  relief.  One  of  them  supported  men  of  well  known  Confederate  pro- 
clivities, the  other  our  noble  standard  bearer,  H.  C.  Warraoth. 

Warmoth,  the  soldier  ;  the  man  who  organized  the  first  regiment  of  Missouri 
militia  outside  of  St.  Louis,  early  in  the  day,  before  the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter,  and 
who  served  with  it  till  after  the  bloody  battle  of  Wilson's  Creek,  where  it  was  so 
badly  cut  up  that  it  was  afterwards  consolidated  with  another  regiment.  You 
have  elected  Colonel  Warmoth,  who  led  the  32d  Missouri  Volunteers  (another  re- 
giment organized  by  himself)  at  the  battle  of  Chickasaw  Bayou,  under  the  since 
glorious  Sherman  ;  and,  as  a  staff  officer,  under  General  McClernand  ;  served  with 
the  Thirteenth  Army  Corps  at  the  battles  of  Port  Gibson,  Champion  Hill,  Big 
Black  Bridge,  the  charge  of  the  19th  May  on  the  enemy's  works  at  Vicksburg, 
and  also  on  the  22d,  when  he  was  severely  wounded  and  disabled.  You  have 
elected  one  who  subsequently  led  his  regiment,  under  old  fighting  Joe  Hooker,  to 
the  top  of  Lookout  Mountain,  to  make  the  charge  on  Missionary  Ridge,  as  he  did 
on  the  following  day,  capturing  prisoners,  artillery  and  hundreds  of  small  arms. 
You  havn  elected  one  who  has  served  you  nearer  home,  at  Alexandria  and  on  the 
Texas  coast— always  with  honor  and  distinction.  You  have  elected  Brig.  General 
Warmoth,  for  he  enjoyed  that  title  while  in  command  of  six  thousaud  militia 
here  in  1863,  and  resigned  it  for  active  service  in  the  field  ;  but  you  know  once  a 
general  always  a  general.  You  have  elected  Judge  Warmoth,  who  served  here  ac- 
ceptably upon  the  bench,  where  his  legal  and  military  knowledge  were  both  called 


40 


into  requisition  as  Provost  Judge.  How  eloquent  is  this  simple  histery  !  How 
sublime  the  unadorned  narrative  !  He  did  not  "  fight  his  battles  o'er  again/'  as 
the  rebel  candidates  did  during  the  late  canvass  ;  he  pleaded  your  cause  and  not 
his  own.     His  nomination  as  a  candidate  was  without  solicitation  on  his  part,  for 

I  happen  to  knew  that  he  sought  others  to  get  them  to  allow  their  names  as  can- 
didates in  preference  to  his  own.  It  may  be  said  to  him  as  was  said  to  George 
Washington'in  the  Virginia  House  of  Delegates,  when  he,  a  young  Colonel,  had 
just  returned  from  his  perilous  expedition  to  Fort  Duquesne,  "Your  modesty  alone 
is  equal  to  your  merits."  You  have  made  him  more  than  colonel,  brigadier,  pro- 
vost judge,  the  rising  lawyer,  the  popular  orator,  for  you  made  him  the  delegate 
of  a  free  constituency  to  the  most  important  legislative  body  on  earth.  You 
have  practically  demonstrated  that  the  territory  of  Louisiana  can  send  a  delegate 
to  Congress,  and  that  colored  men  are  capable  of  voting. 

On  this  the  speaker  alluded  to  the  construction  of  the  State,  in  which  he  ad- 
vocated that  the  State  Government  had  been  destroyed.     He  spoke  as  follows  : 

I  set  out  with  the  proposition  that  the  State  Government  of  Louisiana  has  been  de- 
stroyed. It  is  impossible  to  conceive  of  a  State,  ir  the  sense  in  which  States  are 
known  to  the  Federal  Constitution,  unless  the  following  three  essential  elements 
are  combined  : 

1.  Land,  or  space  for  inhabitants. 

2.  A  Constitution  not  repugnant  to  the  Federal  Constitution. 

3.  Citizenship  such  as  the  Federal  Constitution  requires. 

The  first  element,  land,  has  never  been  wanting.  But  the  second  has  failed. 
The  people  met  in  convention  in  1861  and  struck  out  the  requirement  obliging 
officers  to  swear  allegiance  to  the  United  States  of  America  and  the  State  of  Loui- 
siana, and  inserted  "  the  Confederate  States  of  America  and  the  State  of  Louisi- 
ana." They  made  the  instrument  repugnant  to  the  Federal  Constitution.  From 
that  moment  one  of  the  essential  ingredients  of  a  State  Government,  under  our 
system,  was  wanting,  and  the  State  ceased  to  exist. 

They  treated  Louisiana  as  if  she  were  a  separate  nationality  ;  it  is  a  fatal 
principle  that  has  misled  hundreds  of  men.  The  Convention  of  1  861  met  there 
for  the  purpose  of  tinkering  with  ihe  Constitution  of  1852.  They  did  change. 
They  did  make  a  Constitution  repugnant  to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States. 
From  that  very  moment  Louisiana  ceased  to  be  a  State. 

The  third  element  also  proved  wanting.  When  the  people  met  in  Constitu- 
tional Convention  and  made  their  organic  law  repugnant,  they  gave  evidence  that 
the  citizenship  of  Louisiana  was  not  loyal — not  such  as  the  Federal  Constitu- 
tion required.  They  gave  similar  evidence  when  they  adopted  that  absolute  nul- 
lity, the  secession  ordinance.  They  gave  similar  evidence  when  they  levied  war 
against  the  United  States  and  adhered  to  the  enemy,  giving  him  aid  and  comfort. 

Thus  two  of  the  essentials  to  a  State  Government  under  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States,  have  proved  wanting,  and  it  follows  that  the  State  was  de- 
stroyed. 

Every  department  of  the  Federal  Government  has  acted  upon  this  doctrine, 
whether  it  will  acknowledge  it  now  or  not.  Congress  has  declared  the  rebellious 
States  in  insurrection  as  well  as  the  inhabitants  of  those  States  ;  has  passed  laws 
distinguishing  loyal  from  disloyal  States  ;  providing  for  the  collection  of  taxes  in 

II  the  insurrectionary  districts  ,"  voting  men  and  money  to  subdue  the  rebellious 
citizens  of  the  Republic  inhabiting  those  insurrectionary  districts ;  thus  treating 
them  as  wanting  in  the  two  essential  elements  last  named. 

The  Executive  has  approved  all  of  these  aets  ;  has  issued  several  proclam- 
ations declaring  the  existence  of  the  insurrection  ;  has  spoken  of  the  State  Gov- 
ernments as  subverted,  disorganized,  disconstructcd,  (for  he  has  spoken  of  the  con- 
templated M  restoration,"  "  reorganization,"  and  "  reconstruction"  of  the  rebel- 
lious districts)  and  he  has,  as  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Army  and  Navy,  prose- 
cuted a  war  of  defence  in  opposition  to  insurgents,  because  they  were  not  such 
citizens  as  the  Constitution  requires. 


41 

The  Supreme  Court  has  said  that  the  rebellious  States  organized  war  in  their 
State  capacity,  thus  acknowledging  that  they  were  not  such  organizations  as  the 
Federal  Constitution  requires.  The  Supreme  Court  has  further  said  that  the  rebel 
territory,  bounded  by  lines  of  bayonets,  was  well  denned,  and  that  the  United 
States  possessed  the  same  belligerent  rights  against  them  that  they  would  possess 
against  a  foreign  foe.  (2  Black.,  S.  C.  Reports.)  They  go  on  further  to  notice  the 
fact  that  these  rebellious  States  formed  alliances  among  themselves;  and  we  know 
that  no  State  can  do  this  without  making  itself  repugnant  to  the  supreme  law  of 
the  land.  Hardly  any  act  has  been  done  by  any  one  of  the  three  departments  of 
the  Government  which  has  not  been  in  harmony  with  the  theory  that  the  rebel 
States  had  destroyed  their  own  existence,  and  in  perfect  discord  with  the  opposite 
theory.  The  appointment  of  Provisional  Governors  can  be  justified  on  no  other 
theory. 

Who  contends  that  President  Johnson  can  legally  appoint  a  Provisional  Gov- 
ernor for  the  State  of  Massachusetts  ?  A  Provisional  Governor  is  a  civil  officer — 
because  the  functions  which  he  performs  are  civil.  He  is  the  Governor  of  a  terri- 
tory. The  Constitution  does  not  fix  the  name  by  which  such  officers  are  to 
be  called,  and  there  is  nothing  in  a  name.  In  the  exercise  of  their  functions,  they 
are  Governors  of  territories  and  act  as  such.  Look  at  our  restrictions  upon  trade 
— our  H  acting  collectors,"  etc. — our  limited  privileges  ;  do  you  tell  me  that  this 
is  the  result  of  invidious  legislation  ?  If  Louisiana  is  a  State  like  Massachusetts, 
why  this  distinction  ?  "  0,  these  were  war  measures,"  you  say.  Yes,  and  the  war 
was  made  by  rebel  organizations,  which  were  the  remains  of  •former  States— and 
that  is  the  true  reason  of  this  legislation,  which  was  quite  proper  for  that  condition 
of  things,  but  which  would  have  been  highly  improper  had  Louisiana  and  her  con- 
federates remained  States,  i.  e.,  organizations  with  loyal  citizenship  and  right  con- 
stitutions. 

Mr.  Waples  then  proceeded  to  say  that  it  was  not  impossible  for  a  State  to 
destroy  its  own  existence,  and  labored  to  prove  it.  He  imagined  the  people  all 
to  emigrate,  when  it  would  cease  to  be  a  State,  and  further  said  the  people  might 
prefer  no  State  government  and  live  like  they  of  the  District  of  Columbia.  He 
referred  to  the  objection  that  though  we  may  grant  a  State  may  destroy  itself, the 
action  was  illegal,  so  far  as  Louisiana  was  concerned.  In  answeriug  this  he  held 
that  though  the  action  might  be  illegal,  yet  legal  consequences  flow  from  illegal 
acts,  instancing  the  illegal  act  of  confinement  made  of  Rougelot  and  Bennie,  who 
were  cast  into  prison  for  saying  colored  men  had  a  right  to  vote,  but  legal  conse- 
quences may  be  visited  on  the  heads  of  their  persecutors. 

It  was  illegal  for  Messrs.  Pintado  and  Hills,  Commissioners  of  Election  in 
Assumtion  parish,  to  be  handcuffed  and  imprisoned  for  performing  their  duties  ; 
but  legal  consequences  of  the  most  momentous  character  must  follow  such  an  out- 
rage. Kill  a  man,  see  his  dead  body  before  you,  and  will  you  deny  the  fact  that 
he  is  dead,  merely  because  he  was  not  legally  killed  ?  Will  you  deny  that  the  wi- 
dow does  not  acquire  right  to  her  community  property  ?  It  was  wrong  to  make 
the  Constitution  of  Louisiana  repugnant  to  the  Federal  Constitution  ;  it  was 
wrong  for  the  people  of  Louisiana  to  beain  insurrection  ;  but  the  legal  consequence 
is — the  State  has  ceased  to  be. 

But  here  comes  another  objector — and  he  comes  like  Bildad,  in  the  Book  of 
Job,  "  with  his  belly  full  of  arguments."  He  says,  "  I  don't  believe  in  secession, 
and  therefore  the  States  did  not  go  out,  and  they  must  still  be  in  the  Union. ' '  I 
agree  with  you  that  the  ordinance  of  secession  was  an  absolute  nullity,  and  that 
the  States  did  not,  in  fact  or  in  law,  secede  from  the  Union  ;  that  they  are  still, 
and  have  ever  continued  to  be,  component  parts  of  the  Republic.  While  a  State 
may  throw  off  its  own  government,  it  cannot  divest  the  Federal  Government  of 
its  jurisdiction. 

Louisiana  is  a  territory  under  the  exclusive  jurisdiction  of  the  Federal  Gov- 
ernment. Had  she  seceded,  she,  being  an  independent  nation,  would  have  been 
under  her  State  government  only.    But,  as  she  was  not  a  nation,  and  could  not 


42 

secede,  the  only  effect  of  the  destruction  of  her  State  government  is  to  leave  the 
other  government  the  Federal,  ruling  alone.  The  allegiance  of  the  people  of 
Louisiana  to  the  United  States  remains  intact.  The  land  remains  and  is  a  part 
of  the  territory  of  the  great  Republic— territory  which  stretches  from  ocean  to 
ocean,  partly  organized,  partly  unorganized,  and  partly  disorganized.  Louisiana 
belongs  to  the  last  named  description  in  one  sense,  and  to  the  first  named  in  ano- 
ther. Louisiana  has  an  organization,  but  il  is  not  a  legal  State  organization — nor 
is  it  exactly  similar  to  our  usual  territorial  organization.  Nevertheless,  it  may 
be  correctly  styled  a  territorial  organization.  There  is  no  definite  method  for 
forming  territorial  governments,  nor  is  there  any  prescribed  form.  Congress  may 
pass  enabling  acts  or  not — it  is  immaterial.  The  Constitution  is  almost  silent  on 
the  subject.  The  Governors  may  be  called  "  Provisional  Governors,"  just  as  well 
as  by  any  other  name.  The  legislatures  may  legislate,  and  the  courts  may  do 
business  under  the  old  style — "  the  State  of  Louisiana,"  just  as  well  as  not. 

The  people  of  this  territory  have  a  right  to  send  a  delegate  to  Congress. 
Forming  a  part  of  this  nation,  they  ought  to  be  heard.  Other  territories  send 
delegates,  and  why  should  not  this  send  one  ?  Nevada  has  just  elected  a  delegate. 
It  is  vain  to  urge  that  Congress  has  not  passed  an  enabling  act,  for  there  is  no  Con- 
stitutional provision  requiring  it.  The  people  are  competent  to  act  without  it, 
especially  when  they  already  have  an  organization,  existing  ex  necessitate.  Congress 
is  competent  to  receive  a  delegate  from  any  sort  of  a  territory,  whether  organized 
or  unorganized,  or  disorganized — whether  there  was  a  previous  enabling  act  or 
not ;  for  there  is  no  constitutional  prohibition,  and  there  are  no  constitutional  im- 
plications. There  is  just  as  much  law  for  receiving  a  delegate  from  Louisiana  as 
there  is  for  receiving  one  from  Nevada.  Of  course  the  delegate  must  be  legally 
chosen — chosen  by  the  people — by  the  whole  people.  All  who  are  citizens  of  the 
United  States,  all  of  whom  the  Government  claims  allegiance,  who  are  of  the  pro- 
per age  and  sex,  must  have  the  opportunity  of  assisting  in  the  selection  of  the 
delegate.  So  selected,  it  is  the  duty  of  Congrsss  to  receive  him  ;  to  allow  him 
to  participate  in  the  discussion,  and  to  give  him  all  the  rights  of  a  territorial  del- 
egate. 

I  will  here  leave  the  line  of  my  argument  for  a  moment  to  congratulate  you 
upon  the  exercise  of  this  right  in  the  election  of  H.  C.  Warmoth,  Esq.  You  de- 
monstrated the  truth  that  it  is  practicable  to  hold  an  election  where  the  citizens 
heretofore  disfranchised  could  vote.  Two  years  ago  it  was  said  that  negroes 
could  not  make  soldiers  ;  they  whipped  their  enemies,  and  now  nobody  doubts 
that  they  can  fight.  A  month  ago  it  was  said  that  they  could  not  make  voters; 
they  have  succeeded  orderly  and  intelligently  at  the  ballot-box,  and  now  who 
shall  say  that  they  are  incapable  of  voting  ?  The  world  moves.  The  most  igno- 
rant laborer  in  the  sugar  fields,  with  the  longest  heel  and  the  flatest  nose,  is  a 
better  voter  to-day  than  John  Slidell  was  in  his  palmiest  days  of  power.  The  ne- 
groes are  all  educated — educated  in  the  school  of  experience,  and  in  suffering  and 
wrong — educated  to  hate  slavery,  and  to  hate  treason,  its  naturally  begotten  off 
spring.     They  voted  for  no  traitor  on  Monday  last ;  they  elected  a  loyal  man. 

To  my  fourth  proposition  : 

The  work  of  adopting  a  form  of  State  Government,  and  petitioning  Congress  for  admis- 
sion, belongs  to  the  people  of  the  territory,  to  the  whole  people,  and  to  them  only. 

The  central  idea  of  our  American  system,  the  grand  axiom  on  which  our  Na- 
tional Constitution  rests,  Governments  derive  their  just  poioers  from  the  consent  of  the  gov- 
erned, applied  to  State  as  well  as  to  the  Federal  Government.  This  is  the  leading 
idea  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  All  that  goes  before  and  all  that  comes 
after  it,  is  subsidiary.  This  was  the  idea  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  in  opposition 
to  the  monarchical  idea  that  the  King  rules  by  divine  right.  This  was  the  idea  of 
the  late  war  of  defense  against  those  who  held  the  monarchical  doctrine  that  the 
people  derive  their  powers  and  privileges  from  government,  i.  e.,  the  crown.  It 
It  ft  doctrine  of  universal  application — it  applies  to  the  "  governed"  in  Louisiana. 


43      . 

There  can  be  no  State  government  which  shall  not  derive  its  just  powers  from 
"  the  governed"  here.    On  this  rock  I  rest  my  proposition. 

The  work  belongs  to  the  whole  people  of  Louisiana.  As  the  colored  men  have 
equal  rights  before  the  law  in  the  territories  of  the  United  States  ;  and  equal 
rights,  by  natural  law,  everywhere  ;  as  they  are  a  part  of  "  the  governed,''  they 
must  have  a  hand  in  the  work.  Any  organization  made  without  their  consent 
cannot  have  "  just  powers  ;''  cannot  be  such  an  organization  as  Congress  would 
be  justifiable  in  receiving.  It  must  have  the  consent  of  the  majority  of  the  whole, 
white  and  black. 

The  fatal  objections  to  the  present  form  of  government,  adopted  by  the  late 
Louisiana  Convention,  are,  that  the  voice  of  the  whole  loyal  people  was  not  heard 
— that  it  is  not  republican,  and  that  there  was  undue  interference  on  the  part  of 
the  National  Government.  Had  this  form  originated  with  the  whole  loyal  people, 
without  dictation  from  the  Federal  Government,  we  might  have  gone  with  it  in 
our  hands  as  a  part  of  our  petition,  and  asked  admission  as  a  State.  But  Congress 
would  have  been  in  duty  bound  to  refuse,  because  the  form  is  anti-republican, 
since  it  excludes  a  large  majority  of  the  loyal  men  from  the  suffrage. 

The  now  much  talked  of  plan  of  reconstruction  is  manifestly  illegal,  because 
it  proposes  a  royal  road  for  the  admission  of  States,  unknown  to  the  Federal  Con- 
stitution. The  defunct  States  cannot  be  galvanized  into  life.  Their  relations  to 
the  Federal  Government  are  not  better  than  those  of  Utah  and  Nevada,  as  we 
have  already  seen.  Neither  the  President  nor  Congress  can  create  State  govern- 
ments. It  is  fallacious  to  say  that  they  can  remove  the  disabilities,  for  that  is  only 
another  form  of  saying  that  they  can  re-create  the  lost  States. 

If  they  are  now  States,  they  were  such  throughout  the  war.  Louisiana  was 
such  at  the  opening  of  Congress  in  December,  1861,  and  might  have  legally  had 
Senators  and  Representatives  there.  Imagine  the  insurrectionary  "States"  (so 
called)  fighting  the  Government  on  the  field,  and  yet  voting  in  the  United  States 
Congress  on  war  questions  ;  refusing  to  grant  supplies  ;  relusing  to  pay  the  army; 
refusing  to  support  the  Government !  Then  tell  me  that  this  is  all  l^gal  !  What 
monstrous  absurdity  !  And  yet  this  reconstruction  plan  embraces  just  this  absur- 
dity! 

It  is  not  precisely  correct  to  say  that  we  owe  paramount  allegiance  to  the  Gen- 
eral Government.  We  owe  exclusive  allegiance  to  that  Government  in  all  matters 
within  its  powers,  and  exclusive  allegiance  to  our  State  Government  (when  we  have 
one)  in  ail  matters  within  its  powers. 

If  I  have  established  my  fourth  proposition,  I  have  proved  already  that  the 
President  cannot  by  proclamation  that  the  rebel  State  Governments  are  restored, 
render  it  the  duty  of  the  Clerk  of  the  House  to  place  the  representatives  from 
such  so-called  States  upon  the  roll.  If  the  people  can  only  create  them,  subject 
to  admission  by  Congress  as  new  States,  the  President  cannot  do  it. 

THE    POLITICAL  REGENERATION  OF  THE  STATE  IS  INEXPEDIENT  NOW. 

The  present  condition  of  society  is  unfavorable  to  wise  and  harmonious  action. 
The  recent  election  shows  that  the  white  Union  men  are  very  much  in  the  minor- 
ity here.  A  State  organized  now  would  be  made  by  the  white  majority,  and  be 
actuated  still  by  the  spirit  with  which  they  acknowledge  to  have  inaugurated  the 
war.  Their  public  speakers  and  candidates  fought  their  Confederate  battles  over 
again  in  their  speeches,  and  gloried  in  victories  achieved  over  Uoion  arms.  They 
were  elected  by  immense  majorities.  Men  opposed  to  Republican  State  govern- 
ment have  been  returned  to  Congress  as  the  result  of  this  mockery  of  an  election. 
It  is,  therefore,  inexpedient  to  attempt  the  making  of  a  new  State  by  white 
voters. 

It  is  true,  counting  all  the  voters,  white  and  black,  the  majority  is  favorable  to 
Republican  government ;  but  the  temper  of  the  unrepentant  traitors  renders 
good  men  apprehensive  that  they  would,  by  violence,  undertake  to  defeat  the 


will  of  the  majority.  War  ought  to  be  avoided.  The  Union  men  were  persecuted 
at  the  election  on  Monday  last,  but  they  in  patience  wait,  believing  that  all  will 
be  well,  and  hoping  in  Congress. 

Another  reason  why  action  is  impolitic  now  is,  that  we  have  no  assurance  that 
the  work  would  be  permanent.  There  is  danger  that,  under  the  name  of  State 
rights,  the  strong  would  trample  upon  the  weak,  as  before  the  war  ;  the  action  of 
the  majority  would  be  disregarded,  and  might  would  trample  over  right.  A  con- 
stitution adopted  now,  might  be  repealed  next  year,  and  an  aristocratic  instru- 
ment substituted.  We  had  better  wait  till  time  has  cooled  the  temper  of  these 
Hotspurs  ;  till  reflection  shall  have  brought  them  to  properly  estimate  the  sanctity 
of  their  oaths  of  allegiance  ;  till  candid  investigation  shall  have  proved  an  anti- 
dote to  the  prejudice  existing  against  the  loyal  colored  men,  as  it  has,  to  a  great 
degree,  removed  the  prejudice  formerly  existing  against  the  Jews,  the  Quakers, 
and  others  who  are  remarkable  for  singularity  of  physiognomy,  dress  or  complex- 
ion. If  it  should  take  ten  years  to  prepare  the  public  mind  to  petition  for  admis- 
sion into  the  Union,  with  a  Republican  Constitution,  that  is  a  short  time  in  the 
lile  of  a  great  nation  like  ours  ;  but  two  years  of  waiting  would  work  wonders. 
Let  neither  South  Carolina  nor  Louisiana  have  occasion  hereafter  to  say  that  she 
was  held  in  the  Union  against  their  will.  Thus  shall  Union  and  liberty  be  perpe- 
tuated. 


PREAMBLES  AND  RESOLUTIONS  ADOPTED  AT  THE  REPUPLICAN 

MEETING. 

The  following  are  the  preambles  and  resolutions  adopted  by  said  meeting,  and 
which  have  only  been  published  in  substance  in  the  N.  O.  Times  : 

Whereas,  at  the  election  held  in  this  city  and  in  the  parishes,  on  Monday  last, 
the  6th  inst.,  the  Republican  party  of  Louisiana  was  triumphant,  electing  Judge 
H.  C.  Warmoth  as  our  delegate  to  Congress  by  19,000  votes  ;  and 

Whereas,  the  vote  would  have  been  very  much  larger,  if  not  doubled,  but  for 
the  interference  of  men,  late  traitors,  and  of  others,  who  broke  up  the  ballot- 
boxes  and  arrested  the  commissioners  of  the  election  in  one  parish,  and  impeded 
and  prevented  the  election  in  other  parishes  ;  and 

Whereas,  Our  honored  standard-bearer,  Judge  Warmoth  is  about  to  depart  to 
the  capital  of  the  country,  there  to  represent  us,  and  the  principles  of  our  plat- 
form in  the  Congress  of  the  nation,  therefore,  as  an  expression  of  our  opinions  and 
purposes : 

1.  Be  it  resolved,  That  the  wanton,  tyrannical  and  cruel  interference  with  the 
free  people  of  Louisiana,  assembling  peaceably  to  express  their  sentiments  by 
ballot,  is  another  evidence  of  the  unfitness  of  the  rebel  majority  of  white  men  in 
Louisiana  to  administer  justly  the  government  thereof. 

2.  Resolved,  That  there  can  be  no  "  State,''  in  the  sense  implied  by  the  Federal 
Constitution,  without  a  loyal  organization  in  said  State. 

3.  Resolved,  That  the  State  organization  of  Louisiana  was  made  "  repugnant"  to 
the  Federal  Constitution  by  the  alteration  made  in  said  State  organization  by  the 
Convention  of  1861  ;  that  the  subsequent  attempt  to  form  a  new  Constitution  is 
null  and  of  no  effect,  because  the  new  State  Government,  so  called,  did  not  derive 
its  powers  from  the  consent  of  the  governed. 

4.  Resolved,  That  we  are  without  any  duly  authorized  State  Government  in 
Louisiana  ;  that  we  are  in  a  territorial  condition,  under  the  exclusive  jurisdiction 
of  the  Federal  Government. 

5.  Resolved,  That  the  State  Government  having  been  made  repugnant  to  the 
Federal  Constitution,  both  in  law  and  in  fact,  and  therefore  overthrown  to  all  in- 


45 

tents  and  purposes,  that  the  President  of  the  United  States  cannot  restore  it  by 
proclamation. 

6.  Resolved,  that  the  State  can  only  be  restored  in  the  constitutional  way,  by 
petitioning  Congress  for  admission,  whenever  a  majority  of  the  whole  people  deem 
it  expedient  to  so  petition. 

7.  Resolved,  That  the  temper  of  a  majority  of  the  white  voters,  nine-tenths  of 
whom  are  disloyal,  renders  it  inexpedient  to  apply  at  this  time  for  admission,  and 
unsafe  for  Congress  to  admit  us. 

8.  Resolved,  That  even  in  face  of  these  conditions,  in  Louisiana,  we  rejoice  with 
the  Republican  party  everywhere,  over  the  recent  triumph  of  Republican  princi- 
ples in  the  Northern  elections,  from  which  triumph  we  hope  for  strength  and  ulti- 
mate success  in  Louisiana. 

9.  Resolved,  That  our  hope  is  in  Congress.  That  the  premature  admission  of 
senators  and  representatives  from  Louisiana  would  be  disastrous  to  the  loyal 
people  here.  It  would  place  us  under  rebel  rule,  under  the  control  of  men  who 
are  to-day  as  malignant  toward  the  Union  and  Union  men  as  upon  any  day  of  the 
late  Confederacy. 

10.  Resolved,  That,  as  loyal  citizens,  we  will  resort  to  all  peaceable  means  for 
the  redress  of  our  grievances  and  for  the  securing  of  our  right  to  life,  liberty  and 
the  pursuit  of  happiness. 

11.  Resolved,  That  the  experiment  of  "  reconstructing"'  Louisiana  by  the  bauds 
that  late  were  rebel,  and  red  with  the  blood  of  loyal  men,  has  failed,  as  it  should, 
being  unjust  to  the  loyal  men,  dead  and  living,  and  to  the  few  Confederates  who 
have  taken  the  oath  in  good  faith. 

12.  Resolved,  That  we  denounce  as  false  and  calumnious  the  charge  made  by  J. 
Madison  Wells,  and  reiterated  by  the  journals  of  this  city,  that  the  men  who  voted 
at  the  V  polls  of  the  disfranchised,'7  on  Monday,  the  6th  of  November,  for  a  dele- 
gate to  represent  us  at  Washington,  were  required  to  pay  one  dollar,  or  any  other 
sum  of  money,  before  baing  allowed  to  vote. 

13.  Resolved,  That  we  denounce  as  outrageous  the  act  of  the  commissioners  of 
elections,  in  the  late  election,  in  refusing  the  right  to  vote  to  white  Federal 
soldiers  of  the  First  New  Orleans  Regiment  of  Infantry,  who  were  duly  qualified 
according  to  law  ;  said  refusal  being  unwarranted  by  law,  unjust  to  the  soldiers  of 
the  Republic,  and  rife  with  the  spirit  of  the  late  rebellion,  from  which  the  officers 
of  said  election  were  largely  gathered. 

14.  Resolved,  That  we  denounce  the  registration  of  returned  rebel  soldiers,  and 
the  reception  and  counting  of  their  votes  at  the  last  election,  as  contrary  to  the 
proclamation  of  the  President  and  the  decision  of  the  Attorney  General ;  which 
decision  declares  that  such  men  have  lost  their  residence  by  absence,  and  can  only 
vote  after  one  year's  sojourn  in  the  State. 

15.  Resolved,  That  we,  loyal  men  of  Louisiana,  have  full  confidence  in  our  dele- 
gate to  Congress,  Hon.  Judge  H.  C.  Warmoth  ;  that  his  loyalty,  courage  and  ability 
have  been  tried  on  the  battle  fields  for  the  Nation's  life,  and  have  been  shown  in 
the  integrity  and  devotion  of  his  civil  and  political  career. 

We  do  therefore  commend  him  heartily  to  all  men  who  love  liberty  and  jus- 
tice. 

Judge  Warmoth,  the  delegate  elect,  was  then  introduced  to  the  audience,  who 
received  him  with  enthusiasm.  He  thanked  his  fellow-citizens  who  had  so  unani- 
mously honored  him  with  their  suffrages  on  Monday  last,  and  said  he  should  regard 
his  election  as  the  proudest  achievement  of  his  life,  if  he  should  live  to  be  a  thou- 
sand years  old.  He  promised  to  represent  his  constituents  to  the  best  of  his  ability, 
and  warned  them  that  the  disloyalists  were  doing  all  in  their  power  to  secure  their 
ends,  representing  the  black  man  as  degraded  and  ignorant.  It  was  said  that 
the  Yankee  did  not  know  anything  about  the  negro,  but  he  would  tell  them  that 
the  Yankee  knew  everything— all  about  this  war  and  how  it  would  end.  They 
had  invented  the  telegraph  which  had  just  informed  them  that  New  Jersey  had 
come  back  into  the  Union,  and  were  inventing  new  machines  every  day,  and  when 


46 

he  went  North,  it  was  his  intention  to  try  to  get  a  Yankee  to  invent  a  machine  to 
pump  out  their  black  blood  and  pump  in  white  blood.  [Laughter  and  applause.] 
There  would  be  no  trouble  then  about  their  voting,  for  all  they  would  have  to  do 
would  be  to  wash  their  faces  and  go  to  the  ballot-box.  [Continued  laughter.] 
But  the  real  trouble  was  not  that  they  were  black,  ignorant  and  degraded,  but 
that  they  would  not  vote  the  Democratic  ticket. 

It  was  charged  that  they  would  not  work.  If  there  was  anything  he  didn't  like 
to  do  it  was  to  work.  Work  in  this  country  was  unnecessary,  as  soil  and  climate 
produced  a  living  almost  spontaneously.  He  had  been  elected  by  a  handsome 
majority,  and  supposed  it  was  the  part  of  magnamity  to  say  nothing  about  his 
opponent,  but  he  was  really  sorry  for  his  friend  Col.  Field,  who  had  been  very 
badly  beaten.  He  was  the  hind  horse  in  the  whole  race,  and  had  held  on  to  that 
thing  ''Conservative"  too  long.  The  election  was  over  but  their  work  was  not 
done  5  they  had  only  taken  one  step  in  the  great  tragedy  which  was  yet  to  be  en- 
acted. The  impression  created  in  the  Southern  mind  against  them  could  not  easily 
be  removed,  and  he  expected  assistance  at  their  hands.  They  must  send  their  del- 
egates to  Washington — white  and  colored — and  let  the  people  know  in  the  South 
that  the  negro  population  of  this  city  is  not  the  ignorant  and  degraded  people  they 
are  represented  to  be.  [Applause.]  They  could  not  remove  these  impressions  and 
prejudices  by  simply  writing  letters.  They  must  send  their  best,  smartest  and 
most  intelligent  men,  if  they  would  succeed,  for  there  was  no  disguising  the  fact 
that  the  mind  of  the  people  of  the  North  as  well  as  elsewhere  was  prejudiced 
against  them.  If  they  had  worked  as  hard  as  their  opponents,  they  would  have 
bad  a  Provisional  Governor  in  this  State  a  month  ago.  Governor  Wells  occupied 
his  position  by  their  own  neglect.  When  they  found  that  he  had  sold  out  the 
State  they  should  have  gone  to  Washington  and  urged  upon  the  President  his  re- 
moval and  the  appointment  of  a  loyal  man.  [Applause.]  He  continued  to  urge 
the  sending  of  delegates  to  the  capital,  and  closed  as  follows  :  Fellow-citizens,  I 
thank  you  for  your  attention,  and  I  feel  happy  to-night  because  I  am  going  home  ; 
that  is,  I  am  going  where  I  used  to  call  home  before  I  came  down  here — going  to 
see  my  friends,  and  tell  them  in  a  plain,  common  sense  way  all  about  you,  what 
kind  of  people  you  are,  how  clever  to  me  ;  and  I  know  that  statement  will  go  right 
straight  to  their  hearts.  I  will  tell  them  of  your  loyalty  and  enthusiasm  for  the 
Government ;  that  you  are  the  only  people  who  love  the  Republic,  and  sing  the 
songs  of  the  Union  and  wave  the  flag  ;  that  the  rebels  hate  the  flag,  and  do  not 
love  the  Republic,  and  sing  only  one  song,  and  that  is  Dixie.  When  I  shall  have 
come  back  I  hope  I  shall  be  able  to  say  that  I  did  my  duty,  and  succeeded  in  the 
great  enterprise  which  we  all  have  at  heart.    [Applause.] 

At  the  conclusion  of  his  speech,  Judge  Warmoth  was  presented  with  a  handsome 
bouquet  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Baylor,  a  colored  clergyman. 

The  meeting  then  adjourned. 


[From  the  New  Orleans  Times  of  November  15th.) 
TREASON  AGAINST  THE  PEOPLE  AND  THE  LAWS. 

In  our  edition  of  yesterday  we  gave  a  full  report  of  the  proceedings  had  and 
speeches  delivered  at  the  radical  meeting  held  on  the  previous  evening  at  the  old 
Orleans  Theatre.  In  doing  so  we  performed  what  we  conceived  to  be  our  duty  as 
a  public  journalist,  which  was  at  the  first  and  still  is — "  to  hold,  as  'twere,  the 
mirror  up  to  nature  ;" — but  our  action  in  the  premises  must  by  no  means  be  con- 
sidered as  an  endorsement  of  the  views  and  sentiments  of  the  speakers. 

Benjamin  F.  Flanders,  the  President  of  the  grand  motley  ratification  gathering, 
and  Rufus  Waples,  the  principal  orator,  are  gentlemen  who  have  been  pre-emi- 


47 

nently  distinguished  for  their  loyalty  ;  while  others  have  suffered  by  the  war,  they 
have  "been  so  fortunate  as  to  greatly  increase  their  worldly  goods.  Such  immense 
rewards  for  such  limited  services  as  they  rendered  should  have  taught  them  gener- 
osity, but  it  has  not  done  so.  They  seem  to  fear  an  interruption  of  the  golden  tide 
which  made  the  losses  of  their  neighbors  a  gain  to  them,  and  with  such  arms  of 
rebellion  as  they  dare  to  raise,  they  now  oppose  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States  and  the  policy  of  the  President,  who  has  sworn  to  support  it.  Some  may 
suppose  that  we  are  prejudiced  against  them.  Not  so.  With  something  of  sorrow, 
but  without  a  particle  of  malice,  we  appeal  "  to  the  law  and  the  testimony'7  in  the 
premises. 

Inferentially  and  almost  directly,  Mr.  Flanders  charges  nine-tenths  of  the  white 
population  of  Louisiana  with  perjury  by  taking  an  oath  of  allegiance  they  did 
not  intend  to  keep.  He  charges  them  with  disloyalty ;  with  slamming  the  door 
in  the  face  of  Unionism  ;  with  nominating  for  the  late  election  only  disloyal  men — 
barelv  excepting  the  Governor,  whom  they,  he  says,  intend  to  kick  out  as  soon  as 
possible,  and  Jacob  Barker,  in  whom  Mr.  F.  has  but  little  faith.  More  than  all  this, 
Mr.  Flanders  insinuates  that  those  who  acted  with  the  successful  party  in  the  late 
election  in  this  city  have  uttered  threats  of  assassination  against  the  "  Union 
men"— a  title  which  he  arrogates  to  himself  and  his  peculiar  friends. 

And  this  address,  it  must  be  remembered,  is  delivered  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans, 
to  an  audience  of  recently  emancipated  negroes,  who  receive  the  utterances  of  the 
orator  with  wild  shouts  of  approval  and  cries  of  "  never  !  never !"  Though  sensi- 
tive, our  people  are  long-suffering.  They  may  look  on  incendiary  doctrines  and 
the  teachers  thereof  with  contempt,  for  they  have  determined  to  leave  their  vindi- 
cation, under  the  repeated  insults  heaped  upon  them  by  the  demagogues  of  a  fanatic 
guild,  to  time  and  the  sovereignty  of  law. 

No  man  knows  better  than  Mr.  Flanders  that  the  people  of  Louisiana  are  to-day 
as  loyal  to  the  Union  as  those  of  Connecticut  or  Maine.  Any  one  who  would  speak 
against  the  Union  now  would  be  regarded  as  insane,  and  to  utter  threats  against  a 
man  because  of  his  Unionism,  would  be  the  extreme  of  madness.  But  a  man  may 
be  sound  as  to  the  Union  and  unsound  as  to  other  things.  The  Union  must  not  be 
held  up  as  a  cloak  for  the  Incendiary  and  assassin,  and  a  disbelief  in  incendiarism 
cannot  be  put  forward  by  even  the  most  ingenious  demagogue  as  sufficient  grounds 
for  such  grave  charges  as  perjury  and  treason. 

The  address  of  Mr.  Waples  is  characteristic  and  peculiar,  especially  when  it  is 
remembered  that  the  speaker  was  recently  a  law  officer  of  the  Government.  There 
seems  to  be  a  vein  of  vindictiveness  in  the  course  of  his  argument  j  a  malicious  de- 
light in  giving  trouble  to  an  Administration  that,  for  some  unexplained  reason, 
had  dispensed  with  his  valuable  services.  In  opposition  to  the  greatest  statesmen 
of  our  age  and  nation,  and  in  violation  of  the  plainest  principles  of  common  sense, 
Mr.  Waples  contends  that,  though  the  ordinance  of  secession  was  an  absolute  nullity, 
yet  by  it  Louisiana  lost  her  status  as  a  State,  and  sank  back  into  a  territorial  con- 
dition. He  insists  on  the  grand  American  axiom  that  "  governments  derive  their 
just  powers  from  the  consent  of  the  governed,"  and  then  claims  as  a  legitimate  de- 
duction that  as  the  negro  is  to  be  governed,  he  must  of  necessity  be  a  citizen  and 
voter.    Hear  him : 

The  work  belongs  to  the  whole  people  of  Louisiana.  As  the  colored  men  have 
equal  rights  before  the  law  in  the  territories  of  the  United  States  ;  and  equal  rights, 
by  natural  law.  everywhere  ;  as  they  are  a  part  of  "  the  governed,"  they  must 
have  a  hand  in  the  work.  Any  organization  made  without  their  consent  cannot 
have  "just  powers  ;"  cannot  be  such  an  organization  as  Congress  would  be  justifi- 
able in  receiving.  It  must  have  the  consent  of  the  majority  of  the  whole,  white 
and  black. 

It  follows,  according  to  the  position  here  laid  down,  that  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  has  thus  far  been  a  Government  of  fraud,  for  it  has  never  recognized 
the  negroes  any  more  than  the  Indians  as  citizens  ;  that  not  a  single  State  of  the 
Union  has  had  "just  powers"  conferred  upon  it.    It  is  strange,  indeed,  that  so 


48 

penetrating  a  lawyer  could  haTe  ever  been  loyal  to  such  a  Government— a  Gov- 
ernment without  •«  just  powers." 

But  a  truce  to  the  farce  of  a  cegro  election  and  to  the  eulogies  pronounced  on 
the  negro-elected  delegate  to  Congress.  Mr.  Waples  knows  well  that  Louisiana  is 
not  in  a  territorial  condition  ;  that  the  negroes  are  not  citizens ;  that  the  pretended 
election  of  Mr.  Warmoth  is  a  ridiculous  farce,  and  that  the  incendiary  addresses 
delivered  at  such  meetings  are  certain  to  have  a  most  mischievous  effect.  He 
knows,  moreover,  that  the  highest  judicial  powers  of  the  Government  have  pro- 
nounced upon  the  negroe's  status,  and  that  the  highest  Executive  power  of  the 
Government  has  recognized  all  the  States  as  in  the  Union.  It  is,  therefore,  treason 
against  our  entire  population,  as  well  as  against  the  law,  to  attempt  to  deceive 
the  negro  by  a  solemn  electoral  farce  ;  to  sow  the  seeds  of  increased  bitterness  be- 
tween the  two  races  in  the  South,  and  to  oppose  the  Government  in  its  holy  work 
of  restoring  harmony  10  a  long  distracted  land ! 


[From  the  New  Orleans  Tribune  of  November  15tb.L 

INTERESTING  DOCUMENTS— CHARGE  OF  JUDGE  ABELL  TO  THE  GRAND 
JURY— INTERESTING  REMARKS  OF  THE  SOUTHERN  STAR. 


Judge  Abell  has  always  been  known  as  a  strong  pro-slavery  man.  A  member  of 
the  Convention  of  1864,  he  refused  to  sign  that  instrument  by  which  Louisiana  was 
made  a  free  State.  The  following  quotation  from  the  charge  he  rendered  day  be- 
fore yesterday,  will  give  a  fair  idea  of  the  partial  laws  and  the  arrogant  spirit  the 
people  of  color  may  expect  from  the  party  to  which  he  belongs  : 

"  The  good  order  that  prevailed  throughout  Monday  last,  the  day  of  our  general 
election,  indicates  a  law-abiding  disposition,  worthy  to  be  made  an  example  for  all 
time  to  come.  (This  remark  will  apply  well  to  the  colored  citizens  who  polled 
19,000  votes  at  their  voluntary  election  on  the  same  day.)  The  decided  manner 
in  which  the  people  express  their  preference  for  Democratic  principles,  the  intel- 
ligence and  worth  of  those  selected  to  carry  them  out,  gives  promise  to  the  State 
that  she  will  be  redeemed  from  the  condition  into  which  she  has  been  plunged  by 
violence  and  corruption.  Were  it  not  for  the  early  convening  of  the  General  Ass- 
emblies, I  would  deem  it  my  duty  to  call  your  attention  to  grave  and  important 
matters,  concerning  the  good  order  and  police  of  the  parish  and  State,  particularly 
to  the  first  section  of  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  approved  14th  of  March, 
1830,  relative  to  creating  discontent  among  the  colored  people  of  the  State,  the 
provisions  of  which  are  so  salutary  to  the  best  interests  of  the  freedman  and  so 
terrible  to  ministers  of  discontent. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  some  of  our  fellow-citizens,  who  have  grown  up  with 
the  State,  appear  to  be  so  far  deluded  as  in  some  measure  to  give  their  approbation 
and  assistance  to  a  class  of  adventurers  who  infest  the  city  and  parishes  of  the 
State  without  any  occupation  except  to  teach  the  negroes  insubordination  to  the 
laws  of  the  State  by  instructing  them  that  they  have  a  right  to  vote,  etc.,  which 
they  know  to  be  in  direct  violation  of  the  laws  of  the  land,  which  is  clearly  sub- 
versive of  good  order,  productive  of  discontent  among  the  colored  people  and  en- 
dangers the  peace  of  the  State. 

This  class  of  adventurers  are  traditionally  known  to  the  people  of  the  South,  as 
equally  ready  to  become  sympathisers  or  negro  drivers,  according  to  circumstances 
and  the  chances  of  turning  a  penny.  Such  treason  against  the  law  cannot  be  tol- 
erated in  any  community. 

The  Legislature,  I  have  no  doubt,  will  modify  the  laws  upon  this  and  kindred 
subjects  to  suit  the  changed  state  of  things.    The  substata  of  which  will  be  to 


49 

furnish  the  colored  people  of  the  State  protection  of  person,  property  and  proceeds 
of  industry,  and  to  teach  them  the  necessary  virtue  of  obedience  to  the  laws,  peace- 
ful and  respectful  conduct  as  their  true  and  best  interest,  and  the  class  of  white 
persons  referred  to,  the  propriety  and  justice  of  remaining  at  home  or  engaging  in 
lawful  pursuits  in  the  State. 

Gentlemen,  the  proclamations  of  the  President,  and  General  Orders  of  the  Com- 
manding Generals  of  this  Department,  may  have  so  far  affected  the  laws  on  this 
subject  as  perhaps  to  render  it  proper  to  take  no  action  until  the  subject  has  un- 
dergone a  review  by  the  Legislature.  Trusting  to  your  discrimination  and  zeal 
for  the  public  good,  I  will  not  particularize  as  to  the  class  of  offences  that  more 
especially  claim  your  attention." 

The  Southern  Star  publishes  the  following  remarks  on  the  last  Republican  meet- 
iug.  They  show  the  feelings  of  the  rebel  press  of  this  city.  What  will  the  Times— 
which  reported  the  proceedings— say  to  the  Star's  allegation  that  "  no  decent  paper 
would,  give  a  report  of  the  proceedings."    Says  the  Soutern  Star: 

The  Negro  People. — The  negro  people — white  and  black — had  a  meeting  last 
night  at  the  old  Orleans  Opera  House.  Some  of  the  talkers  at  the  assemblage  will, 
no  doubt,  be  taken  in  hand  by  the  Grand  Jury  of  the  Parish  of  Orleans,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  charge  of  Judge  Abell  of  the  Criminal  Court.  As  a  matter  of  course, 
we  do  not  report  the  proceedings— no  decent  paper  would  do  so.  We  pity  the  de- 
luded colored  people,  and  we  hope  to  see  their  white  comrades  addressed  by  Judge 
Abell— he  on  the  bench  and  they  in  the  dock. 


ABSTRACT  OF  THE  REPORT  OP  THE-  COMMITTEE  ON  ELECTIONS  OF 
THE  REPUBLICAN  PARTY. 

New  Orleans,  Nov.  16,  1865. 

To  the  Honorable  President  and  members  of  the  Central  Executive  Committee 
of  the  Republican  party  of  Louisiana  : — Your  Committee  to  whom  was  referred 
the  duty  of  arranging  and  holding  an  election  on  the  6th  inst.,  of  the  loyal  unen- 
franchised citizens  of  Louisiana,  beg  leave  to  make  the  following  report  of  the  re- 
turns received  from  the  following  parishes,  viz  : 

Parish  of  Orleans 9,044 

"  "  Jefferson 2,667 

"  "  St.  John  the  Baptist 874 

"  •«  St.  Charles 813 

"  "  Ascension 756 

"  "  St.  James 305 

"  "  East  Baton  Rouge 1,836 

"  "  West  Baton  Rouge 492 

"  "  Point  Coupee 824 

"  "  Terrebonne 1,358 

"  "  St.  Tammany 136 

"  "  St;  Helena 247 

"  «  St.James.... 44 

19,896 
Total  number  of » votes  for  Judge  H,  C.  Warmoth, 


50 

The  vote  would  have,  in  all  probability,  been  more  than  doubled  were  it  not  for 
the  cowardly  interference  of  our  enemies,  the  planters,  who  would  not  allow  their 
hands  to  vote. 

The  election  was  conducted  in  a  perfectly  quiet  and  orderly  manner  so  far  as  th« 
colored  citizens  were  concerned,  and  had  elections  been  permitted  in  all  the  par- 
ishes there  is  no  doubt  but  the  whole  number  of  votes  of  the  loyal  unenfranchised 
citizens  would  have  far  outnumbered  that  of  the  disloyal  enfranchised. 

O.  J.  Dunn,  Chairman.  1 
Jos.  L.  Montiku,  I    Committed 

W.  R.  Crane,  \-         on 

J.  L.  Imiat,  I     Election. 

Rufus  Waples,  J 


14  DAY  USE 

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